Content creation has become an increasingly visible part of Eswatini’s entertainment and lifestyle landscape, with women using social media to build personal brands, businesses, and communities around what interests them.
From travel and beauty to motherhood, lifestyle, entrepreneurship, and everyday life, the work of creators goes well beyond the traditional idea of an influencer simply posting pictures online.
For many, content creation has become a business, a creative outlet and, in some cases, a full-time career.
This Women’s Month, Kulture recognises five women who have made their mark in Eswatini’s digital space: Takitsi Mdluli Yenziwe Mahlalela, Zindzi Thwala, Swazi Kween and Tebelelihle Nxumalo.
They are not presented in any particular order, nor are they being compared. Their platforms, audiences and areas of interest are different, but each has contributed to the growing visibility of women in Eswatini’s content-creation industry.
BIG BUBU
For Takitsi Mdluli, better known online as Big Bubu, content creation has become closely connected to her love for travel and self-expression.
The lifestyle vlogger and travel content creator documents her experiences across destinations, combining travel stories with fashion, photography and the everyday details that make each trip personal.
Her approach is particularly rooted in seeing travel for herself rather than relying entirely on what is presented through television or social media.
Mdluli has previously described herself as an adventurous, sociable and fun-loving person with a love for music and new experiences. Her journey into travel content began with her first major trip to Johannesburg, which became a starting point for documenting her adventures.
Since then, travel has become an important part of her content. Zanzibar stands out among her favourite destinations, particularly for its beaches, hospitality and the sense of community she experienced there.
There is also a deliberate creative process behind her content. Mdluli has spoken about enjoying everything from choosing outfits and music to finding the right angles for photographs and videos. Rather than seeing the work behind a post as a burden, she considers content creation a form of art and self-expression.
Her social media platforms have also become something of a visual record of her growth. She describes them as a personal collage where she can look back at places she has visited, things she has created and moments that remind her of what she is capable of.
For a creator whose work revolves around movement and discovery, her philosophy is straightforward: travel, experience the world and document the parts worth remembering.
YENZIWE MAHLALELA
Yenziwe Mahlalela’s content sits at the intersection of several parts of her life. She is a mother, content creator, baker and the owner of CHAKAZA’s Beauty Parlour in Mbabane, and her social media reflects the range of interests that make up her everyday life.
Mahlalela has built her platform around authenticity, but she is also deliberate about what she chooses to make public. Although motherhood is part of her identity, she has chosen not to show her son on social media, believing that the decision to appear online should ultimately belong to him.
That boundary is an important part of how she approaches content creation. Having studied Public Relations, Mahlalela understands the distinction between a public persona and a private life.
She shares aspects of her daily routine, from cooking and baking to beauty and work, while keeping certain parts of her life away from the internet.
Her relationship with food is another recurring part of her content. She has described cooking and baking as deeply personal activities and considers food one of the ways she expresses love.
Beauty is equally central to her work. Through CHAKAZA’s Beauty Parlour, Mahlalela has moved from simply enjoying beauty to creating an environment where other women can feel confident about themselves. She has spoken about clients arriving stressed and leaving happier after the experience.
Her content follows the same philosophy. Whether she is cooking, working, spending time with family or doing something as ordinary as cutting grass, she prefers to present life as it is rather than only showing carefully polished moments.
For Mahlalela, the message behind her platform is ultimately about allowing people to be themselves.
ZINDZI THWALA
Zindzi Thwala has built a career that demonstrates how content creation can exist alongside corporate work, entrepreneurship and communications.
With more than six years of experience in content creation, Thwala has worked with major brands including Forbes, Women Africa, Puma Africa, MTN and Oracle.
Her profile grew further in 2025 when she became part of the Forbes Women Africa Content Creator Club and participated in the Forbes Leading Women Summit.
Her professional background has also shaped the way she approaches digital media. A graduate of the University of Johannesburg, Thwala later completed a postgraduate diploma in Media Management with distinction at Rhodes University’s Sol Plaatje Institute.
She has worked in communications and previously served as a communications officer at the Eswatini Communications Commission.
Outside content creation, she is an entrepreneur and the founder of Authentic Beauty House, a beauty business that has also earned recognition, including the 2022 Standard Bank Luju Festival Hairvolution Stylist Award.
Her work demonstrates the increasingly blurred lines between traditional corporate careers and the digital economy. Thwala has used her communications background to build a strong personal brand while creating content for both local and international audiences.
She has also been vocal about the challenges facing creators in Eswatini, particularly access to equipment and affordable internet. During a 2026 discussion on the country’s digital economy, she highlighted data costs as one of the challenges facing creators who depend on digital platforms for their livelihoods.
Her nomination and win for the Emerging Brands in Africa Awards 2026 further reflect the growing recognition of her work beyond Eswatini.
SWAZI KWEEN
Lindelwa Mangwe, popularly known as Swazi Kween, has taken a different route into the digital space.
Before becoming a full-time content creator and lifestyle influencer, Mangwe worked in healthcare as a nurse and midwife.
Her transition into digital media began with sharing aspects of her everyday life and gradually developed into a career built around lifestyle, travel and brand partnerships.
Today, her content reaches thousands of followers and has allowed her to work with brands while also travelling and representing Eswatini on regional platforms.
Mangwe has been particularly deliberate about turning content creation into a sustainable career. In a recent interview, she described her professional approach as intentional and focused on consistency, quality and learning.
Her definition of success is also closely connected to independence. Rather than waiting for opportunities, she believes in creating them and building a career that aligns with her purpose.
That perspective has become increasingly relevant as content creation develops into a legitimate source of income for young people.
For Mangwe, however, the online image is only one part of the story. She has acknowledged that the confidence audiences see on screen does not always reflect how she feels offline, and that maintaining a public presence can come with its own pressures.
Her current focus includes expanding her lifestyle and travel content, strengthening relationships with brands and developing projects that can extend beyond social media.
TEBELELIHLE NXUMALO
Silindzelwe Nxumalo, widely known as Tebelelihle, is another creator who has established herself in Eswatini’s lifestyle and digital space.
The award-winning content creator and YouTuber has built an audience around lifestyle content while also exploring travel, fashion and experiences within Eswatini.
Her journey into content creation has been shaped by a strong interest in storytelling and the creative process. From developing ideas to producing content, she has described enjoying the work involved in bringing an idea to life.
Travel is another important part of her interests. Nxumalo has documented experiences at destinations around Eswatini and has previously highlighted the role content creators can play in promoting the country’s tourism offering.
Her work has also extended into commercial partnerships. She has secured contracts with brands, including Savanna Eswatini, as her career has developed.
Nxumalo was recognised as Best YouTuber at the Eswatini Creators Awards, an indication of the growing space for locally produced digital content.
She has also been recognised among Eswatini’s prominent creators on social media, where her platforms continue to attract a sizeable audience.
Her approach to lifestyle content is broad enough to accommodate fashion, travel and everyday experiences, giving her room to explore different aspects of her personality and interests.
A GROWING INDUSTRY
The five women represent different sides of Eswatini’s content-creation industry. Big Bubu has built her identity around travel and visual storytelling.
Mahlalela brings together beauty, food, motherhood and entrepreneurship. Thwala combines content creation with communications and business. Swazi Kween has turned lifestyle influencing into a full-time career, while Tebelelihle has developed a recognised presence through lifestyle content and YouTube.
Their journeys also reflect how much the local digital landscape has changed. Content creation is no longer simply an extension of traditional entertainment. It has become a space where creators can build audiences, work with brands, promote businesses and develop careers around their own interests.
For women in particular, these platforms have created room to speak directly to audiences without waiting for traditional media or entertainment structures to provide the platform.
While Eswatini’s digital economy continues to develop, the work of creators such as these five women is helping define what the local content industry can look like one post, video, campaign and collaboration at a time.
