Across the bridge: Polokwane Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa from dependency to autonomy

Abstract

The authors analyse and discuss the history of an important “Dutch Reformed Mission Church” congregation since its inauguration under the first DRC “foreign” missionary, Stephanus Hofmeyr, in the late nineteenth century until today. They argue that it was a typical “mission church” congregation, suffering under white paternalistic authority and developing the typical 'dependency syndrome'. It changed drastically in the era after 1994 and today the congregation has developed full autonomy and independence; also in financial terms. The authors see this as one of two possible models for church formation in the DRC in a democratic South Africa.