Catholic life must have started with the coming of the CMr which usually had a few Irish among them. It has to be remembered also, that in July 1883 the first Holy Cross Sisters landed at Port St. John’s and that Bishop Jolivet often passed through when visiting his Transkeian outposts. The Irish soldiers built a little chapel before 1890; the property in the village was acquired in 1888. The clergy of Mthatha and Fr Le Bras took care of the small community until Bishop Hanisch opened a proper mission in January 1936 and Fr Ermekeil was the first parish priest.

In the meantime, some improvements were made to the buildings. A small dining room was attached to the convent for the benefit of the clergy; a garage with a workshop was built next to the presbytery; the church in the village was provided with new steel windows in 1947 and the convent chapel was enlarged. in 1948 Fr Feuerer built a new chapel at the Dumasi outstation; in November the same year, a guesthouse was started, just above the presbytery. Anew church building was constructed on 8 May 1957, was completed in 1959, and blessed by Bishop Grueter on the 7th of May 1959. In the 1950’s there was an increase in the number of Catholics at Ntwalane Outstations. Fr Bernard opened many more outstations in the neighbourhood fo Port St. John’s.

The Bishop also visited the small community of Ndwalane. This Outstation has a long history. It goes back to the 30s when the Holy Cross sisters started a school at Ndwalane. A church was built next to the home of the Kanise family. When Caguba church was built in 1985 and later on Mkhanzini many people moved to these new places and the community of Ndwalane was somehow forgotten or expected to join either Caguba or Mkhanzini. Now it seems that the Ndwalane community wants to revive itself. They have applied and received a church site and the Bishop promised to help with the building provided that the community does its share. The small church was built and finished in December 2019.

The enormously big Caguba church and outbuildings were renovated for the big occasion of the Chrism Mass on 8 April 2020. But it never could take place because of a country wide lock down. The Corona virus which swept over the whole world forced the Government to cancel all gatherings of people including sport, cultural and religious activities.

Since   the middle of 2016 the Municipality could not supply water to the Mission. There was not enough pressure. As a remedy a 5.000 litre plastic water tank was installed half way between the Mission and the level of the town. This worked for a year. Then the pressure was not even strong enough to reach the provisional water tank in the bush.

A Kokstad water drilling firm was engaged to give a quotation for the drilling of a water hole. This option was abandoned, and a 5.000 litre water tank was installed at the bottom near the Methodist church. The neighbour Mrs. Stofile also joined this project. To safeguard against damages and theft a wall was erected to protect the two tanks. A contractor from Mthatha Mr. Ivan Dennis did the work and a local electrician Mr. Bill Orton did the electrical part. On June 5^th, 2019, the system was working to perfection.

For More information on this parish please refer to:
1. Transkei For Christ by Fr Marcel Dischl CMM, copyright 1982
2. Chronicle of Mthatha Diocese by Fr. Winfried Egler of 2020

1. Fr James Ermekeil C.M.M.: January 1936 – November 1940
2. Fr Joseph Schwemmer C.M.M.: October 1945 – September 1947
3. Fr Bonaventure Feuerer C.M.M.: October 1947 – September 1952
4. Fr Willibald Rattinger C.M.M.: December 1952 – June 1956
5. Fr Thomas Schlegel C.M.M.: July 1956 – June 1957
6. Fr Lucas Lehmann C.M.M.: July 1957 – October 1963
7. Fr Joseph Schwemmer C.M.M.: October 1963 – December 1968
8. Fr Raphael Boehmer C.M.M.: January 1969 – April 1972
9. Fr Bernard Dreier C.M.M.: October 1972 – February 1983
10. Theodor Zegers C.M.M.: March 1983 – 1988
11. Andrew Roesli C.M.M.: 1989 – 2001
12. Fr Ross Anderson M.S.C.: 2001 – 2003
13. Fr Octavus Khasoane: 2003 – 2004
14. Fr John Chirayil C.M.M.: 2004 – 2006
15. Fr Siegfried Mandla Jwara C.M.M.: 2006 – 2010
16. Fr Winfried Egler C.M.M.: January 2010 – January 2012
17. Fr Phomane Motlatsi: August 2012 – May 2014
18. Fr Monwabisi Majingolo: June 2014 – December 2016
19. Fr Phomane Motlatsi: July 2016 – January 2019
20. Fr Winfried Egler C.M.M.: January 2019 – December 2019
21. Fr Vincent Kayiira: January 2020 –

Priest Incharge: Fr. Vincent Kayiira
CellPhone: 083 974 4886
Email: kayiirambogov@gmail.com

Address
No. 191 Mountain Road
Port St. John’s
5120

Postal Address
P.O. Box 35
Port St. John’s
5120