Benedict Vilakazi was born on January 6, 1906 at Groutville Mission Station on the north coast of kwaZulu-Natal, where he attended the local Groutville Mission School up till his 10th year. He completed his school career at St Francis College, at the Mariannhill Catholic Mission south of Pinetown. There he was baptised ‘Benedict Wallet’, but kept his Zulu family name of Vilakazi.
