By Tandzile Dlamini (Intern)
MBABANE – Cabangile Mathonsi spent her childhood thinking her grandmother was too hard on her, only to realise later that those moments were shaping her into the fearless, self-made woman she is today who now owns two hair salons.
Cabangile was raised by her grandmother after being neglected by her parents. Mathonsi spent most of her childhood gathering imphepho, libovu, and incoboza for traditional grassmats with her grandmother. Her grandmother would sell the items across the border in South Africa to earn a living. Though young Cabangile did not fully understand it at the time, those trips into nature were shaping her future.
“Back then, I thought my granny was being unfair,” she said. “I thought she was being hard on me because I was not her biological child. I wanted to play with my friends. Now I understand, she was teaching me responsibility, survival, and the value of hard work.”
That foundation motivated a spirit of enterprise that followed her into school, where she began selling sweets and chips to students. It was the start of a lifelong hustle. At this day, Mathonsi has never held formal employment, but that never stopped her from building a life through determination and skill.
She taught herself how to make atchar by observing others and tasting different recipes. The process was not perfect at first ,her early batches often spoiled, but she kept experimenting until she got it right. Today, she makes and sells a range of products, including atchar, peri-peri, dishwashing liquid, and perfume.
“I had to fail before I succeeded,” she said. “I would look at what went wrong, fix it, and try again.”
Now, Mathonsi owns Cabangile’s Hairdressing, with two branches, one in Mhlaleni and a newly opened salon in Ngculwini. Her talents also extend to perfume-making, which she crafts from scratch. Beyond selling, she offers lessons to other women who want to learn the skill, aiming to equip them with a means to earn a living.
“My goal is to see every woman doing something for herself,” she says.
From the hills of Mankayane to the shelves of her salons, Cabangile Mathonsi has turned hardship into hustle. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, the wisdom of elders, and the strength of a woman who refused to give up.
(Courtesy Pics)
