Africa boasts 1st Catholic saint

LIMPOPO – Africa will have its first African Catholic saint in the form of Benedict Daswa of Mbahe village near Thohoyandou.

A school principal, Daswa was stoned to death for his Catholic beliefs 25 years ago and his beatification is due to take place during a ceremony at the Benedict Daswa Shrine in Tshitanini near Thohoyandou on Sunday.

His Eminence, Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, will represent Pope Francis at the celebration.

This beatification is the first step towards canonisation (being bestowed sainthood), and also means that people will be allowed to publicly venerate Daswa.

“Following the beatification ceremony, Daswa will be referred to as the Blessed Benedict Daswa,” explained Catholic Church national media liaison officer, Father Smilo Mngadi.

He added that when Daswa reached sainthood, his name would be included in the litany of saints.

Daswa was brutally murdered on 2 February, 1990 by a group of people who clubbed him to death with knobkerries and poured boiling water in his ears and nostrils to ensure that he was dead.

According to Chris Mphaphuli, who was Daswa’s friend at the time, he was murdered because he refused to accept the power of witchcraft or participate in witch hunts.

Daswa’s mother, Thidziambi Ida Daswa said the intended beatification, followed eventually by the sainthood, of her son came as no surprise.

“He was not only a son to me, he was a friend. We would speak every day. I was at home when I heard the news that something had happened to my son,” she said.

Ironically, Daswa’s grave is just metres away from one of the suspected ringleaders who allegedly murdered him. Although the police were aware of who the people involved in Daswa’s murder were, and arrests were made, those responsible were never prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

Daswa’s son, Lufuno Daswa was 14 years old when he last saw his father alive.

“I remember my final conversation with my father. I was about to start my second year at secondary school. He drove me to St Brendan’s Catholic School. We chatted for a long time. He believed in the power of education. He was a hard worker. He had future plans. He planned for our family, for our education,” he said.

“Some people in the area felt that my father might have been ‘bewitched’ and was betraying his culture,” he added.