I began my working life in the early 1980s as a junior clerk at a commercial bank in Manzini, on a fixed-term contract while I waited for the results of my accounting certification exams. My starting salary was modest, but it was enough to support myself and contribute to my family's household expenses. I still remember the pride I felt receiving my first salary. It was an important first step toward financial independence, and the beginning of my working life.
That first job also sparked what would become a lasting interest in accounting and fiscal management. My responsibilities included maintaining financial records, filing documents, assisting with basic reconciliations, and supporting the branch's administrative operations. Through that work, I developed a strong work ethic and learned the importance of accuracy, confidentiality, meeting deadlines, and working with minimal supervision.
From 1982, I combined part-time night classes at the University of Eswatini with freelance bookkeeping for small retail businesses around Manzini. Balancing work, study, and family responsibilities was demanding, but I saw that period as an investment in my future. By the late 1980s, my skills had grown, and I was taking on more complex bookkeeping assignments, helping small businesses with record-keeping, cash-flow management, and tax matters.
In 1991, I moved to Mbabane after securing a permanent position as a Management Accountant at Eswatini Agricultural Distribution Company. That move brought a significant improvement in my income and career prospects, giving me greater confidence in my ability to provide for my family while continuing to grow professionally. Life in the capital also brought higher costs, particularly for housing and transport, and I had to adjust to those new demands while managing a growing family.
My career continued to progress steadily. My responsibilities expanded to include budgeting, financial reporting, cost analysis, and financial planning. By 2000, I had been promoted to Senior Management Accountant and had begun mentoring younger accounting staff. This was an important period for me, as I moved beyond simply managing accounts and took on greater responsibility for organizational decision-making and the development of others.
In 2004, I moved into a senior management position at a national utility company, overseeing financial planning, budgeting, financial reporting, and the organization's overall finances. I remained there until 2018. I describe that as one of the most significant periods of my career, intellectually rewarding and professionally fulfilling, but also demanding, with long hours and considerable responsibility, especially during budgeting and reporting periods. During that time, I also benefited from employment rewards such as pension contributions and medical aid.
In 2018, corporate restructuring affected my position and forced me to reconsider my plans. Rather than retiring immediately, I drew on four decades of accounting and tax experience to begin offering independent services to individuals and small businesses. In 2020, I formally established my own Tax and Advisory Firm, providing bookkeeping, tax preparation, financial advisory, and small-business accounting services. That allowed me to remain economically active, though self-employment also meant my income became less predictable, with some months stronger than others.
As retirement approached, my family responsibilities remained a central concern. My adult children worked in the Matsapha textile industry, where wages were low, so I continued to support them and my grandchildren with school fees, groceries, medical expenses, and other household needs. Those responsibilities shaped how much I could save for my own retirement, and at times I wondered whether I could afford to fully retire while my family still depended on me.
After more than four decades of working, studying, building a career, and supporting my family, I formally retired from regular employment in 2024. I moved into semi-retirement, keeping a small number of consultancy clients while relying increasingly on my pension and personal savings. My retirement income is lower than my final working salary, so I have to manage my finances carefully.
Today, I spend more time with my grandchildren, take on a limited amount of consultancy work, and participate in community activities. Looking back, I see my working life as a journey of hard work, career growth, resilience, and family responsibility, from receiving my first salary as a young clerk in Manzini, to building a career in accounting and senior management, adapting to an unexpected career transition, becoming a consultant, and eventually reaching retirement.