We mourn the loss of Fr Wandile, parish priest at Corpus Christi in Upper Tongaat, who was called to rest in the early hours of Thursday 3 July 2025.

Prior to assuming leadership of his own parish, Fr Wandile served as assistant to Fr Desmond Nair at Our Lady of Lourdes in Westville. In whatever capacity he found himself, he brought much joy to the communities he served.

Archbishop Jwara described Fr Wandile as having “a good and gentle nature, a keen intelligence and a disarming charm. His deep faith impressed many around him, especially as he struggled with health issues during the last few years of his life.”

Archbishop Jwara was at his hospital bedside, along with family and members of the clergy, when Fr Wandile passed away.

“It is perhaps remarkable that he passed on the day on which we honour St Thomas the Apostle, and remember the sacrifices of the Apostles who were called to preach the Gospel, and spread the faith throughout the world,” said the Archbishop.

“Fr Wandile may not have been allocated as much time as many of us have been blessed to receive. But in the short time which he was given, he made a powerful and profound positive impact on many lives. His preaching, teaching and witness will not be forgotten by the people he touched.”

Zulu Mission supporters may recall that we run a feeding scheme at Upper Tongaat, an impoverished area some 40km north of Durban. In June 2024 the area was devastated by a tornado and – more than a year later – some local people are still battling to repair damaged homes.