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In 1838, the town of Potchefstroom was proclaimed the capital of the newly established Transvaal republic. However, Potchefstroom was not considered central enough and a new location needed to be identified for a new one.
Marthinus Pretorius purchased two farms (Daspoort and Elandspoort) and applied for a permission to establish a town in 1853. Permission was denied but in 1854 a NG church congregation was founded in the area. The following year (with support by the church) permission was granted to establish a town on the farms.
A number of names were considered for the new town including Pretorium, Pretoriusdorp and Pretoria Philidelphia. Marthinus Pretorius recommended the name Pretoria in honour of his father Andries Pretorius who was a national hero. Andries Pretorius was the leader of the Voortrekkers who defeated the Zulus at the battle of blood river in 1838.
Initially the town grew very slowly but in 1858 the Volksraad decided to make Pretoria the official seat of government although Potchefstroom would remain the capital for the time being.
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