Story by Anna Cox
Johannesburg - On Sunday, South Africa will have its first saint and martyr – Tshimangadzo Samuel Benedict Daswa.
About 35 000 people are expected at the Benedict Daswa Shrine site at Tshitanini, Thohoyandou, in Limpopo.
Guests of honour will include the king of Venda, Toni Mphephu Ramabulana; the premiers of Gauteng and Limpopo, David Makhura and Stan Mathabatha; and Water Affairs and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.
Daswa was killed for opposing witchcraft.
Bishop Emeritus Hugh Slattery, who was bishop of Tzaneen at the time of Daswa’s death, and who started the formal beatification procedures, said: “In a wider society, Benedict made no secret of his stance against witchcraft, sorcery and ritual murder, which still have such crippling effects on the development and progress of society.”
Daswa was born on June 16, 1946 in Mbahe Village, 20km from Thohoyandou. He was a herd boy before he started school.
During the school holidays one year, he went to Joburg, where he befriended a group of Catholics and decided to convert.
He became a teacher after completing his studies at the Vendaland Training Institute. In 1977 he was appointed principal at Nweli Primary School, where he remained until his death.
In 1976, Daswa started the Mbahe 11 Computers soccer team. After it lost several games, some of the teachers and community members decided to consult a sangoma.
Benedict spoke strongly against it, but was outnumbered, so he left the team and started a new one with the players who supported him. This angered fellow teachers and some community members.
Another factor which contributed to his death was that Daswa, because he was so highly thought of, had been appointed secretary to the headman’s council and a confidant to the headman himself. This caused jealousy as he was a Venda and not a Lemba, who traditionally held these posts.
A third factor was that in 1989 there had been several heavy lightning strikes, causing some homes to burn.
The headman and his council met to discuss the strikes and decided to consult a sangoma to find the “witch” who was causing the lightning, which would have led to her killing.
Daswa refused to pay the R5 contribution, arguing that his Catholic faith prevented him from taking part in anything connected with witchcraft.
He tried telling them that lightning was a natural phenomenon; they wouldn’t listen.
On February 2, 1990, the day of his death, Daswa was performing kind deeds. He drove his sister-in-law and her sick child to the doctor. On the way, he picked up a man carrying a 25kg bag of mealie meal. He offered to drive him home.
On his way back, he found the road barricaded with branches and rocks. He got out of the car, and people started throwing stones at him. He ran for help to a nearby shebeen but was chased away.
He tried a neighbouring house. The owner was terrified when she saw the mob.
He hid in the kitchen and the mob threatened to kill the owner if she didn’t reveal his whereabouts. He begged for his life and was told he wouldn’t be killed.
However, a man came at him with a knobkierie and hit him on the head, crushing his skull. Boiling water was then poured over his head and over his injuries.
A number of people were arrested, but the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
Chris Mphaphuli, who was a close friend and colleague and very involved in the beatification, said Daswa was a kind, educated and principled man.
“The family immediately forgave those who caused his death and, to this day, bear no grudge.
“There is, however, still a little tension in the area because the families of the perpetrators feel uncomfortable with the beatification decision, believing it is a slur on them.
“The entire village has been invited to the event,” he said.
The diocese of Tzaneen opened an inquiry into Daswa’s death, which ended in July 2009.
The entire process of beatification took 15 years and 850 pages of testimonies from people who witnessed the life and death of Daswa.
These were forwarded to Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, after they were signed by Slattery.
Chancellor Father André Bohas MSC was the postulator in Daswa’s beatification and canonisation cause.
Daswa’s remains were exhumed on August 24 from the local cemetery, in the presence of police, a doctor and a nurse. A toe and a piece of the garment he was wearing were removed and will be sent to the Vatican as relics.
Daswa’s remains were relocated to a grave in a church in Mbahe Village, which he helped to build.
The Catholic Church has purchased land in the area, which it hopes to turn into a shrine and pilgrimage site. When that happens, Daswa’s remains will be moved there.
The Archbishop of Joburg, Buti Tlhagale, said it was a momentous occasion for all South Africans, especially, the country’s 4 million Catholics.
“This is the first South African saint. Having our own saint means having our own spokesman in heaven – a model of someone who dies for his faith. It’s striking and inspiring.
“Once the country wakes up to this, they’ll realise what an achievement it is to have had someone among us who stood up for his faith amid great opposition, against the cultural convictions of certain people, and openly opposed witchcraft in a bid to stand for his faith,” said Tlhagale.
The Star also spoke to Daswa’s son, Lufuno Daswa, who is a student at the University of Venda, studying teaching and who, interestingly, is not a Catholic.
Lufuno was 13, the eldest of eight siblings, when his father was killed.
“I was away at boarding school and was called by the principal. I felt very important walking with him, and this also made the other children jealous because I was getting preferential treatment and I was told I had to go home.”
He was not told why and when he got home, the house was full of people.
“My grannies took me to a room and I was told my father was no more. I was shocked, but I don’t think I realised what this meant. I didn’t understand the concept of death, and for many years I dreamt he was coming home,” he said.
His father’s death left him lonely and his family hurt.
“I messed up my studies and failed to complete matric. I rebelled for seven years, seeking the meaning of life and death, questioning his faith. There was a lot of attention around my father’s death, but I felt abandoned by everyone afterwards. There was no counselling. I felt we had been shovelled to hell,” Lufuno said.
He eventually found answers in the Church of Christ.
“Being the son of a saint puts big pressure on me, especially as the eldest,” he said.
@annacox
The Star