BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Lubombo Regional Administrator (RA) Themba Msibi has convened different business people in the region to see how best they can attract investments within the region.
These esteemed individuals met on June 24, 2025 at Espinho Restaurant in Siteki to find out how the region could be improved. During the meeting, Msibi implored the business people to share their opinions on how the region could be improved.
The RA stated that it was imperative for the region to develop because it had massive potential of doing so. He pleaded with the business people to make it a habit of looking for ways in which the region could be improved. During the meeting, the business people identified tourism as one of the ways in which investments could be attracted into the region.
Another way that was identified was knowledge and skills sharing. During the meeting, one of the business people stated that Lubombo had renowned business people, sports personalities, academic individuals, respectable politicians, corporate gurus, professionals, and other individuals. He said during meetings of this kind, such people had to be invited to share with the rest of the Lubombo residents on how they managed to be where they were.
The business people said development started with nurturing and developing skills, which could be used to make an income. Other business people identified small businesses as the backbone of improvement of any economy. Therefore, it was imperative for small businesses in the region to also be nurtured and their owners should be encouraged to focus on growing and improving those small businesses to serve large customer basis.
The youth of the region was also identified as one sector of the population that should not be left behind in the region’s quest to be developed. The youth, according to the business people, need to be mentored on how they could run businesses and become best at what they do. The youth was seen as the future of the region, which needed to be roped in to ensure the region’s sustainable future.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a committee was elected to see how the opinions expressed during these forums would be implemented. The Lubombo region boasts several tourist attractions, including the Hlane Royal National Park, the Mbuluzi Game Reserve, and the Mlawula Nature Reserve. These areas offer opportunities for wildlife viewing, nature walks, and enjoying the natural beauty of the region. Additionally, the Lubombo Mountains provide scenic views and hiking opportunities. Other areas such as the Sugar Cane Museum and Swazi Cultural Village can also be visited.
The region also have a number of hotels that can offer hospitality needs to tourists visiting it, including Siteki Hotel, Mabhuda Lodge, Buckswood Hilltops (all in Siteki), Asiphumule Lodge (Siphofaneni), Wanakah Estate Guest House (next to KMIII International Airport), Simunye Country Club, Elawini Guest House (Malindza), and many more.
Activities meant to attract tourists in Lubombo include the Hlane Buganu ceremony, Mlawula Campfire Festival, and hiking activities in places such as Lunkuntfu Mountain, Jilobi Mountain.
Apart from renowned business people such as Moses Motsa, Joseph Souza, Enos Magongo and others, several prominent business figures and businesses have emerged from the Lubombo region of Eswatini. Paul Dupont of Dupont Security Services was recognized as the Lubombo Region Entrepreneur of the Year and also received the Regional Outstanding Youth-Owned Business Award. Other notable individuals include Mavis Zwane of Mangwe Investments, lauded as the Lubombo region’s finest entrepreneur according to Times Of Swaziland. Gugu T. Dlamini of Zuko Suppliers won the Regional Outstanding Women-Owned Business award.
