IB: Can you take us back to the beginning? Where did you grow up, and what initially sparked your interest in IT systems?
JB: I have quite a mixed background. I grew up in the Malkerns area, so naturally, the town for me was Manzini. My childhood was mostly solitary, surrounded by agriculture and snakes. Lawuba, to be precise, was what I’d like to call our holiday destination and weekend rural getaway where my father grew up. I have many fond memories and lessons there: from a large family where we spent a lot of time together, to herding cattle and getting into trouble for letting the cows eat maize plantations, to working in the fields through the seasons of planting, weeding, and harvesting. I used to think of Lawuba as a holiday spot because I went to school in Mhlambanyatsi, which was mostly Caucasian at the time, and most of my classmates talked about Harare, Gold Reef City, uShaka Marine, and similar places during school holidays. All I could talk about was Hlathikhulu or Maphungwane, where my aunt lives.
My childhood was a journey filled with contrasts, from the warmth of family to the solitude of being the youngest of seven. I often found myself alone, which fostered a deep sense of observation, introspection, and an eye for patterns and systems. I can’t downplay the privilege of attending Usutu Forests Primary School, where early primary students in the late 80s had access to computer lessons in a non-traditional environment for a Swazi boy. I can’t quite explain it, but this exposure must have helped develop my interest in IT.
IB: Did you always know you’d end up working in tech?
JB: Not at all. My tech journey was driven more by curiosity, experimentation, and learning from mistakes than by certainty. I did well in Computer Studies throughout high school, but I received a “D” on my final IGCSE exam. That was discouraging, especially since I had good grades in other subjects. I was only 17 then, and I considered taking a gap year before applying to university. My parents moved to Geneva, Switzerland, and suggested Webster University, thinking that Computer Science matched my early interest in IT. My father, in particular, firmly believed that IT was a guaranteed path to success and wouldn’t accept any other view.
Initially, because of that “D,” I couldn’t get into the Computer Science program directly, so I enrolled in International Business with a minor in Computer Science and excelled in my computer modules. When the business program was discontinued, my credits qualified me for a BSc in Computer Science with an emphasis on Information Management, along with a minor in International Relations. My father’s influence sealed my future in tech.
IB: In what ways did formal education and early work experiences influence your ambitions?
JB: Formal education provided me with the foundational tools, but hands-on experience gave me wisdom. Studying Computer Science and International Relations in Geneva opened my eyes to global perspectives. I started with humble jobs in Geneva, including cleaning at a shoe repair shop, supervising “Student Support” at an international school, and later interning at the Mission of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Those days taught me discipline and humility.
Over time, I realized that my analytical skills and love of solving problems were assets in various environments, and IT became the perfect platform to express those talents. It wasn’t just a career—it felt like a calling to bring order, efficiency, and impact to complex environments. The best part was being able to immediately apply what I learned in real-world situations during my studies, which strengthened my confidence and drive to push beyond limits.
My parents never let me rest. I could play hard, but I had to work hard first. I wasn’t the most gifted student, with perfect grades; I was average, but my work ethic set me apart. While studying IT, I immersed myself in related topics beyond the classroom. After earning my BSc in 2005, I was fortunate to be mentored by Bongani Mashwama, who gave me my first formal job at BNM Technology in Mbabane. He taught me about leadership within consulting and gave me a blank slate to develop. I set up servers and networks, managed projects, engaged clients, built websites, fixed PCs, bought spare parts, and even assembled computers from scratch.
IB: You subsequently spent several years as a systems analyst at Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) before moving to South Africa. How challenging was this transition?
JB: One of the best gifts I received at ENPF, my longest-serving employer, was training support for certifications such as COBIT, ITIL, and PRINCE2. That same gift became somewhat of a curse because I developed an eagerness to implement everything I had learned right away, which perhaps wasn’t the right time or fit for the organization. I suppose I had not yet learned how to communicate change or exercise patience, and so I began to feel stifled. I was yearning for growth, newly married, and felt a spiritual nudge to stretch beyond the familiar and embrace new challenges. I initially moved to South Africa to be with my new family. I left a stable job to pursue a deeper calling, and that decision, though difficult, was one of the most transformative of my life. I felt I had no choice but to play the cards I was dealt, because the irony was that I had made a conscious decision in my formative years never to live in South Africa or the U.S., for instance. These were the two countries I really wanted to avoid at all costs because of how liberal and competitive they are. However, my family needed me to be in South Africa, so I leaped.
IB: What challenges did you initially face when you moved to South Africa, and how did you overcome them?
JB: Culture was the biggest adjustment. Eswatini is laid back, community-driven, and often relational in its work style. South Africa was more competitive, aggressive, and survival-driven. When I first moved to South Africa, I was unemployed, and I explored the entrepreneurship route. I quickly realized, however, that most opportunities were already spoken for and guarded by gatekeepers in the fields of my interests, which made it difficult to break in despite the country’s large, sophisticated market.
I then opted to seek employment, which is an incredibly daunting and intimidating task when you have ambitions and immediate responsibilities. I found myself quickly relying more on praying than applying for jobs, admittedly realizing I could not progress on my own will and strength.
Something happened during this season of praying that resulted in a random phone call from a founder of a software development company, whom I had lost touch with three years earlier. The company developed bespoke web-based applications for the social impact space and government agencies. I was immediately offered a job and introduced to the corporate culture of South Africa, where racial discrimination is nuanced in every level of engagement. Even the social culture was different.
I quickly missed the days when I could open meetings with a prayer, as this was standard practice in Eswatini culture but mostly frowned upon in South Africa (I should specify Gauteng, where I mostly worked). Although I have been described as confident and pushy, I really struggled to be aggressive to the required level for my project management position. I experienced being demoted for the first time in my life, a huge setback that I rarely talk about. I had to adjust and focus on the assignments that were given to me and had to observe and reflect on my failures. I didn’t give up; I didn’t have aggression in me, but I had to focus on my strengths. So I identified gaps in my work environment that could be filled with my skills. I went for it; being wounded did not stop me. I had to do it in disappointment, I had to do it even when it didn’t feel good, and not long after my demotion, I was elevated to Head of Business Operations and Director.
IB: Wow! You are currently based in the US. How did that come about?
JB: Just when I was acclimatizing to the South African environment and beginning to understand it, and hoping to expand my horizon, my spousal permit was not renewed by the South African government just 1.5 years into my BMW contract, which should have been four years. As God would have it, I reported to a US-based technology unit at the Spartanburg Plant while working at the Rosslyn Plant.
I was basically working remotely because I was serving BMW Group globally, based in South Africa. This gave me a clear view of German, South African, and American cultures. When my contract was terminated because of my spousal permit, I was immediately transitioned to a U.S. role. It was not just handed to me, but by divine alignment, there was an opening that I was interviewed for within the same team. I had already been panicking for close to 6 months, trying to find a job in Eswatini and in the US market, while hoping the South African government would reconsider my immigration status, given my critical skills.
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