Life of Benedict Daswa in Brief

Benedict Daswa is the first South African to be beatified, that is, declared Blessed by the Catholic Church.

Growing up

Benedict was born as Tshimangadzo Samuel Daswa on June 16, 1946, as the first-born son of Tshililo Petrus and Thidziambi Ida Daswa. He had three younger brothers and a sister.

The family belonged to the Lemba tribe in rural Venda, which follows many Jewish customs.

After the death of his father in an accident, Daswa took on the responsibility of caring for his younger brothers and sister. When he joined the workforce, he helped to pay for their education and continually encouraged them to study.

During school holidays, he stayed with an uncle in Johannesburg where he took part-time work. At this time he became friendly with a young white man who was a Catholic. Several of his peers who were Shangaan were also Catholics.

Becoming Catholic

He converted to Catholicism at the age of 17. He took the name Benedict after the famous sixth-century saint and after Benedict Risimati, the catechist and future priest who had instructed him and others, under a fig tree.

Having studied to be a primary school teacher, he taught first at Tshilivho Primary School at Ha-Dumasi, eventually rising to the position of principal.

Benedict helped build the first Catholic church in the area at Nweli. From his vegetable garden, he gave freely to the poor. He was secretary of the headman’s council and an aide to the headman.

He was known for his absolute honesty, truthfulness and integrity.

Benedict’s Martyrdom

A series of unusual thunderstorms and lightning strikes in the area in November 1989 and again on January 25, 1990 caused a group of local community leaders to find recourse by hiring a traditional healer to determine the cause, which they thought to be not natural but the work of a witch.

To pay the healer, they collected R5 from every member of the community.

Benedict’s explanation that the weather phenomena were natural and not to be blamed on witches went unheard. He refused to contribute, saying that the use of a traditional healer constituted witchcraft and therefore was in conflict with his faith.

Members of the community took offence at what they perceived as his derision of their beliefs and plotted to kill Benedict.

On February 2, 1990, Benedict was driving home from taking his sister-in-law and her sick child to the doctor when, at 19:30, a group of men blocked the road with tree logs. When Benedict got out of his car to investigate, he was set upon, beaten and stoned. He ran away but was soon trapped. As a man approached with a raised knobkerrie to deliver the fatal blow, Benedict prayed: God, into your hands, receive my spirit. His killers were never convicted.

Funeral and beatification

His funeral Mass was concelebrated on February 10, the day before the release from jail of Nelson Mandela, by several priests with Fr John Finn MSC, parish priest of Thohoyandou/Sibasa, as the main celebrant. All clergy wore red vestments in acknowledgement of their belief that Benedict had died a martyr’s death for his faith.

The diocese of Tzaneen opened an inquiry into Daswa’s death in 2005 and completed it in 2009. In October 2014, the theologian consultors of the Congregation for Sainthood Causes unanimously recommended that Daswa be declared a martyr. Bl Benedict Daswa was beatified in Tzaneen in September 2015.

Visit www.benedictdaswa.org.za for more information.