In 1848 Johannes Heinrich Kulpmann of Rhenish Mission Society bought this farm Leeuwenklip, to establish a mission station to serve the freed slaves and indigenous inhabitants in the area. The mission station was named Saron, which is of biblical origin meaning “flats” or “plain”.
In 1852 the Rhenish Mission Church took control of the mission station and a church was erected. The existing farm complex and farm buildings were incorporated into the mission complex. The farmhouse became the “pastorie”, a church was built next to the “pastorie” and the wine cellar was used a school until a new building was built in 1877.
Besides access to agricultural and pastoral land, the mission provided the inhabitants with education, health services and an opportunity to develop skills in craft production and as artisans. Some of these skills still exist within their community today.
The population of Saron steadily increased into the 20th century and Saron was officially proclaimed a town on the 19th of December 1929. In 1945 the Dutch Reformed Church took control of the Mission. In 1950 the Church was forced to give up control of Saron.
The town of Saron was administered by a succession of secular authorities until Saron recently gained municipal status and the Saron Local Authority was established.
