Eswatini will, for the first time, host a high-level national dialogue focused on tackling workplace toxicity and declining corporate culture, as senior executives, HR practitioners, policymakers, and industry leaders come together for the inaugural Empowered Workplace Indaba on December 6, 2025, at Mountain View Hotel.
Under the theme “Rebuilding Corporate Culture: From Toxicity to Empowerment,” the Indaba signifies a key milestone for the country’s labor and business community. It will also serve as the official launch of Pretty Suits & Poisoned Mugs, a new memoir by workplace culture consultant and author Sipholesihle Daisy Lukhele, whose work has sparked a growing national conversation on employee well-being and leadership accountability.
Recent research shows that toxic workplace environments cost organizations between 25-40% of productivity each year through increased absenteeism, staff turnover, and reduced performance. For Eswatini’s business community, the conversation about workplace wellness is no longer optional; it has become an economic necessity.
“We’re seeing organizations lose their best talent not to competitors, but to cultures that don’t support human dignity alongside performance targets,” Lukhele says. “This Indaba creates space for honest conversation about what’s working, what’s failing, and how we rebuild.”
The event features a strong lineup of speakers and participants from government, business, and civil society, highlighting widespread acknowledgment that workplace culture is connected to national productivity and labor policy.
Confirmed speakers include: Dr. Nozizwe kaMulela-Zulu, Managing Director of Eswatini Bank; Phila Buthelezi, Minister of Labour and Social Security; Sharon Maziya, President of the Institute of People Management Eswatini; Dr. Eddmore Mapfeka, General Practitioner (Mental Health); Mfanimpela Dube, Case Management Officer at CMAC; Mbali Dlamini, Network Marketer, Content Creator, and Chef-in-Training; and Sipholesihle Daisy Lukhele, Author and Workplace Culture Consultant.
Their participation highlights the increasing agreement that reforming corporate culture is vital for national well-being, with the Ministry of Labour expected to offer insights on aligning policy measures with healthy workplace practices.
Several leading corporations have already confirmed their attendance, reflecting a growing awareness of the link between workplace culture and operational performance. The Indaba aims to provide organizations with practical tools and knowledge on:
• Risk mitigation in the workplace conduct
• Talent retention through supportive leadership
• Performance enhancement driven by positive organizational culture
• Brand positioning through alignment with ethical, progressive norms
Speaker presentations will cover topics from breaking barriers in leadership to understanding contracts and workplace rights, mental health signals, and the hidden costs of toxic environments.
Lukhele, who has written extensively about workplace dysfunction in local media, says the Indaba is meant to shift the conversation “from commentary to action.”
As we near 2026, the question for Eswatini’s business community isn’t whether workplace culture matters, but whether we’re ready to invest in making it better,” she notes. “This Indaba is for organizations brave enough to look inward and lead forward.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, 6 December 2025
Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Venue: Mountain View Hotel, Mbabane
Capacity: Limited to 100 participants
Ticket Prices:
General Admission: E450 (refreshments, buffet lunch, materials)
Corporate Table (10 seats): E9,500 (VIP seating, branded visibility, executive hampers and signed books, 15% discount on post-event consultations)
Payment Options:
Mobile Money/Unayo/eWallet: 7621 5391 (Sipholesihle Lukhele)
Standard Bank: 9110002718564
Branch: 111010
FNB: 62602519681