Abstract:
The migration of Europeans to the interior of South Africa during the 19th century led to
the founding of different churches in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR). A unique
situation developed in the Rustenburg region, where the Dutch Reformed Church and the
Lutheran Church Kroondal were founded a few kilometres apart. The aim of this article
is to review the beginnings of each congregation and to compare parish life in the first
few years in order to show that the two churches, although arising from two different
traditions, did not focus exclusively on their own development; from the outset,
missionary work played an important part in church life.
