The story of the Ballito Gesinskerk may start in 1988, but its congregation has been active on the North Coast since 1926.

It was then that railway chaplain Reverend WJ Esterhuysen held the first local Dutch Reformed Church (NG Kerk) service in what was then Stanger, now KwaDukuza.

The North Coast was in theory covered by the Durban branch of the church back then, but those living in the north had little chance to attend regular services until Rev. Esterhuysen came to town.

“Over the next few years he traversed the entire North Coast – by train, on foot, on horseback and sometimes on top of the crates of a heavily loaded wagon,” said Ballito Gesinskerk community officer, Louis Nel.

“And he was always heavily armed… with an umbrella! His enemy, the scorching sun and rain showers. He was a true shepherd and prophet.”

A Sunday school was later established in Stanger in 1935, before the area got its first full-time minister, Rev. Van Rooyen, in 1938.

The congregation officially separated from Durban in November 1940 and the first church hall was built at a cost of £2 388.

Its boundaries stretched from Durban to the Tugela River and inland as far as Kranskop.

The congregation was joined by minister, Rev. Van Heerden, in 1962 before the first full church was inaugurated in 1965.

Its reach covered some 4 000m2 and included around 1 300 people, with services held in Stanger, Maidstone, Verulam, Umhlanga and Maphumulo.

It took until 1988 for Ballito to get its own church building and the KwaDukuza-based church was sold in 2010.

Ballito is now the main base of the church on the North Coast, which rebranded to the Ballito Gesinskerk in 2010.

It is currently led by Rev. Gert Vorster, who took over from the long-serving Rev. Alwyn Small on an interim basis in 2021.

“Our goal now is what it has always been, to cater for families. We are all a family of brothers and sisters under Christ and everyone is welcome,” said Vorster.

“We think it is important to create an atmosphere that is welcoming to the congregation while offering a professional service where worship is encouraged.”

Services are held on Sundays at 8.30am and are in Afrikaans, with Vorster estimating a congregation size of around 450.

The Gesinskerk also employs a youth worker – Lé-Ankè Coetzer – who studied theology and is passionate about spreading the Gospel.

Every service is recorded and uploaded to YouTube, which first started during Covid-19 but has remained an important component to reach all members of the congregation.

“We briefly wondered if we should stop it once people could return to church in person, but it has become a wonderful part of our ministry,” said Vorster.

And community outreach is an important aspect of the Gesinskerk, which supports a number of worthy causes across the province.

“Our congregation is so generous and is always quick to respond where there is a need,” said congregation manager, Leonie Spangenberg.

“We run many programmes, including our weekly pancake, koeksister and vetkoek sales on Saturday mornings – a portion of which is donated.”

You can find the church on Leonora Drive and can contact them at 032 946 1198 or kerkkantoor@noordkus.co.za.

Visit them on Facebook at Ballito Gesinskerk NG Noordkus or via their website at noordkus.co.za.

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