Blessed Benedict Daswa

Life story

Tshimangadzo Samuel Daswa was born on 16 June 1946 at Mutale in Limpopo province, South Africa, into the Lemba community. He became a Catholic as a teenager and was baptised in 1963 with the name Benedict. He trained as a teacher, taught, and later became a primary school principal. He married Shadi Eveline and they had eight children. He was also active in his parish and helped the poor of the area.

In early 1990 his area suffered a series of lightning strikes. Some villagers blamed witchcraft and wanted to collect money for a traditional diviner to name the culprit. He refused to contribute, because he did not believe in the practice. According to the cause documents, he stated his position clearly before the community.

On the evening of 2 February 1990, on his way home, he was stopped by a mob and attacked with stones and clubs. He died afterwards. The Church regards him as having died for the faith. He was beatified on 13 September 2015 at Nweli, Limpopo. His feast is on 1 February.

He also took part in parish life and taught catechism to children. People who knew him remembered him as upright and devoted to his family. After his death the Diocese of Tzaneen gathered testimonies for the cause of beatification, and the Church recognised him as having died for the faith, an acknowledgement that rests on the circumstances of his killing and the reasons he gave beforehand.

Works and witness

• Schoolteacher and later principal; father of eight children
• Became a Catholic and was baptised in 1963
• Refused to pay a diviner to find the cause of lightning strikes
• Killed in 1990; beatified in 2015

References

• Martyrologium Romanum
• Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
• Diocese of Tzaneen – materials on Benedict Daswa

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.