NH Kerk - Pretoria-Tuine

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Aka: Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk (Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa)

Built: 1972-1974

Architect: Pieter Smal

Building contractor: Weeshuis-bouers

Location: Cnr Centre & Louise St, Pretoria Gardens.

View from south-east (1974)¹

The direct pre-history of Pretoria-Tuine lies in the region known as the Moot, specifically west of the Apies River. The southern boundary is Daspoort Ridge, and the northern is the Magaliesberg, or "The bowl of Daspoort Ridge in the south and the crest of the Magaliesberg in the North."

Church buildings were a major problem in this region for a very long time, and from the early days, members were accustomed to making do with the minimum in this regard. For example, an old corrugated iron cinema hall was good enough for a long time until the first congregation, North-Western Pretoria, could commission an elegant new building on 2 April 1948 - a day longer than nine years after its separation from Northern Pretoria.

There was rapid expansion in this area, and on 21 March 1965, Pretoria-Tuine was established as a third congregation branching off from North-Western Pretoria, resulting in a total of four congregations west of the Apies River. (Later, Magaliesmoot also branched off as a fifth.) Pretoria-Tuine then sought a hall once more and found one at Tuine Primary School, where the congregation met regularly for just under nine years. The decision to build their own church came very quickly - the land was finally acquired in 1969, and construction began in April 1972 and was completed in January 1974.

The architect is Mr Pieter Smal, and with this church and its unique design, the Nederduitsch Hervormde Weeshuisbouers completed their fifty-seventh church building. The structure of the church building was such that it presented a challenge to Mr J. Steward of the Weeshuisbouers and his men. There were indeed enough problems, but each was eliminated with ingenuity. Normally, the church offers seating for 400 people.¹

View from south-east (2013). Google Street View.

Interior view (2020). Marietjie Cooper on Google.

Locality map


Sources

  1. Viljoen, C.J. (1974) Nog 'n nuwe Kerkgebou: Pretoria-Tuine. Die Hervormer, Apr 1974.

 

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