Various foreign mission organisations started working in South Africa, which led to the formation of a number of denominations amongst those people who otherwise would have been excluded from the main churches, largely over issues of race.

This process motivated the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) in South Africa to start its own independent mission work.

In 1986 the Belhar Confession – with its strong emphasis on unity, reconciliation and justice – was formulated and adopted by the DRMC.

To encourage slaves to learn the Dutch language and prayers, they were rewarded with tobacco and brandy.

The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) of the time had no organised mission activity, with the result that the baptism of slaves were left to the wilfulness of their masters.

In 1737 Georg Schmidt from the Moravian Church came to Cape Town to work amongst the Khoikhoi of the Overberg.

In the course of time various mission organisations from overseas started working in South Africa, which led to the formation of a number of denominations amongst those people who else would have been excluded from the church.

"The Afrikaner abhorred the liberal views of equality, freedom and the social integration of many missionaries (from the foreign mission societies)".

In the process, the Belhar Confession with its strong emphasis on unity, reconciliation and justice was formulated and adopted in 1986.

In October 2018, the Southern Synod of the denomination voted to allow clergy to perform same-sex marriages as well as to ordain openly partnered LGBT ministers.