Pretoria, South Africa, Jul 14, 2009 / 22:54 pm
The conclusion of a five-year diocesan inquiry has advanced the beatification cause of a South African man who was murdered as a “genuine martyr” after a life of resisting witchcraft and condemning murderous witch hunts.
Servant of God Benedict Daswa belonged to the small Lemba tribe among the Venda people in the Limpopo Province in northernmost South Africa.
According to the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), he became a Catholic while training to become a elementary school teacher.
Realizing that common beliefs and practices concerning witchcraft were against his faith, he took a strong stand against them because he believed they led to the killing of innocent people accused of witchcraft activities.
Daswa also rejected the use of “muti” or medicines for protection against evil or for success in sports or other activities.