A well-known Mbabane entrepreneur, Sifiso “Daladi” Dlamini, is rebuilding his business empire after losing everything in a violent storm that hit the country several years ago.
The storm, which ripped through the capital, destroyed all four businesses housed under Dlamini’s Emfuleni Lifestyle brand. The damage, which he estimates at close to R10 million, nearly pushed him to the brink—emotionally and financially.
Speaking during an interview on What’s the Story Eswatini, Dlamini recounted the painful aftermath of the disaster. “I had to walk away from everything for three years,” he said. “I was mentally broken. I almost ended my life. My sister saved me—she took the gun from my hand.”
Emfuleni had become a landmark venture, known for offering a range of lifestyle services from one premises. Its collapse left Dlamini deeply shaken. But his time away from business gave birth to something new: Plant Co., a venture he now describes as a symbol of hope and second chances.
Based in Mbabane, Plant Co. is Dlamini’s attempt to return to the business world with renewed purpose. He sees it as more than a company; for him, it represents healing and a deeper connection with his roots and faith.
Raised by a grandmother who sold umcombotsi, ran a poultry business, and hired out a van to make ends meet, Dlamini says entrepreneurship was part of his upbringing. “She was a hustler. I learnt from her how to create multiple income streams,” he shared.
A devout Christian, he ties his entrepreneurial drive to biblical teachings. “We’re not supposed to depend on just one thing. The Bible teaches us to multiply, to build with our hands.”
With Plant Co. now gaining ground across Eswatini, Dlamini has returned to doing what he knows best—building. He says his journey is a reminder that no matter how deep the fall, it’s still possible to rise.
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