BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI – For many young people, student leadership is where confidence is built, voices are discovered and the first lessons of responsibility are learned. But as they prepare to step beyond the familiar world of campus, more than 80 student leaders have been challenged to turn those lessons into action and make a difference wherever their journeys take them.
The challenge came on August 12, 2026, at Inyatsi House in Manzini, where student leaders from eight tertiary institutions gathered for the second edition of the Student Leadership Conference 2026.
Held under the theme “Leadership Beyond Campus. Impact Beyond Limits,” the conference created a platform for young leaders to learn from experienced figures in government, business and professional institutions while exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, personal branding and the skills needed to succeed beyond tertiary education.
Hosted by the Student Leaders Network and sponsored by Lidwala Insurance, the conference sought to inspire a generation of young people capable of leading with purpose, creating value and contributing to Eswatini’s socioeconomic development.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Hon. Manqoba Khumalo took the students through his own leadership journey, from founding the UNESWA Chemistry Society as a student to entering the corporate world and eventually serving the country as a Minister.
Khumalo told the young leaders that leadership starts with the ability to recognise a need and have the courage to respond to it.
“Great leaders are great at spotting gaps. A true leader learns to see things differently. Where others see obstacles, a leader sees opportunity. Where others see problems, a leader sees possibility,” he said.
He encouraged the students to stop viewing challenges only as barriers and instead consider how they could become opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation.
At a time when many young people face difficulties finding employment, Khumalo urged the future leaders to broaden their thinking and look beyond traditional career paths.
He challenged them to embrace entrepreneurship, create value and develop solutions to problems affecting their communities.
The Minister also called on students to challenge the status quo and become leaders who are prepared to forge new paths.
“Great leaders are trend breakers. They reject the status quo, challenge old habits, and forge new paths instead of simply following the crowd,” he said.
For Khumalo, however, leadership is not about occupying a prestigious position. It is about service and the impact one leaves behind.
“The third lesson is this. Leadership means leading to serve,” he said.
He explained that his personal definition of leadership success is centred on improving the situations he encounters.
“For me, success has always meant leaving every situation better than I found it,” Khumalo said.
He said this philosophy continues to influence his work in government, particularly in promoting youth entrepreneurship, supporting youth-owned MSMEs, encouraging job creation and working towards positioning Eswatini as a leading African investment destination.
Adding a professional perspective to the discussions, Mbabane Municipal Council Chief Executive Officer Gciniwe Fakudze urged the students to recognise what makes them different and deliberately build their identities around those strengths.
“True success comes from identifying what sets you apart from the rest and leveraging the power of personal branding,” Fakudze said.
She encouraged the young leaders to understand their unique value propositions and use personal branding to position themselves for professional opportunities and long-term growth.
Meanwhile, Lidwala Insurance Managing Director Dr Thokozani Nkambule challenged students to understand that success requires more than academic qualifications.
“Recognise the value of creation and develop the soft skills needed to break limits and make a lasting impact,” Nkambule said.
She emphasised the importance of developing interpersonal and professional skills that can help young people communicate effectively, adapt to different environments and work with others.
For UNESWA Chemistry Society President Zandile Dlamini, the conference offered practical lessons on what meaningful leadership should look like.
“The key lesson for me is that leadership must have purpose. It is about creating value and making a meaningful impact on other people,” Dlamini said.
The conference gave student leaders an opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn from leaders with experience across different sectors.
As they prepare to leave campus and enter workplaces, businesses, communities and public institutions, the young leaders were reminded that their leadership journey does not end with graduation.
Instead, they are expected to carry their voices, ideas and influence beyond campus, turning challenges into opportunities, ideas into solutions and leadership into meaningful service.
Closing his keynote address, Khumalo left the young leaders with a powerful reminder of their place in the country’s future.
“We value your voice. You matter to this country,” he said.
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