13/09/2026
THE DARK DAYS OF EMATLA
There are moments in life that divide your story into a before and an after.
For Ematla, that moment was the fire.
I stood there and watched years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication disappear into flames and smoke. Our office, tools, equipment, stock, records and opportunities were gone, leaving me to start again from almost nothing.
But the fire affected more than one part of Ematla.
Ematla Group.
Ematla Renewable Energy.
Ematla Ice Suppliers.
Ematla Print & Designs.
Ematla Telecom.
Different divisions. Different dreams. One vision.
All of them were affected.
What made things harder was knowing that people had trusted me and my business. Before I could focus on rebuilding, I had to do right by them.
I spent every last cent I had replacing or sourcing equipment and issuing refunds where necessary. It put enormous financial pressure on me, but I couldn't let people who trusted me suffer because of what had happened to me.
Then came the challenge of continuing without the tools and resources I had spent years building. I've had to turn down jobs I knew I could do simply because I didn't have the correct tools anymore, borrow equipment to keep promises and take on debt to complete work because I had given my word.
That's the part people don't always see.
They see the business owner, the smile and the Facebook posts. They see me trying to keep moving. What they don't see are the nights behind that smile.
The last two months have been the hardest two months of my life.
There have been days when I've felt defeated and had no idea how to make things work. But I still had to answer the phone, speak to clients, look for work, make decisions and lead. I still had to smile and act like I've got everything figured out, while desperately trying to figure out what came next.
There were nights when I couldn't sleep, thinking about new ideas, our direction and a market that has changed dramatically. People's needs have changed. The way they spend money has changed, and somewhere along the way I lost sight of where Ematla fits into this new landscape.
I've been trying to find our niche again—testing ideas, questioning directions and starting over. Sometimes I've thought:
“Maybe I've had enough.”
Maybe I should close everything down, find a job and have the security of a salary. The pressure has often felt overwhelming.
But then I remember:
I can't just give up.
There are families depending on me. When I employ someone, I'm responsible not only for that employee, but for the children, households and loved ones who depend on that income.
So even when I'm exhausted or scared, I have to keep moving and making decisions. I've pushed through three straight nights barely sleeping, trying to work out how to fix what was taken from me, rebuild what took years to create and get Ematla moving again.
And that's where the fear comes in.
I'm scared of building everything again.
After watching everything disappear in fire and smoke, rebuilding comes with one question:
“What if it happens again?”
What if I sacrifice again, build it all up and lose it all again?
That fear is real.
But so is my determination.
Despite everything, I'm still here. I'm still trying, thinking, searching for opportunities and finding our place in a changing market. I'm still fighting for my employees, their families, my clients and Ematla.
I don't know exactly what the next chapter looks like. Ematla may not look the same. We may need to adapt, rebuild from the ground up and find a new path.
But one thing I know for sure:
I will never give up.
The fire took a lot from us, but it didn't take our experience, determination, purpose or ability to rebuild.
These are the Dark Days of Ematla.
But they're not the end of Ematla.
They're just the hardest chapter we've had to live through.
Different divisions.
Same vision.
Same heart.
Still here.
And we'll keep pushing.
One day at a time.
One opportunity at a time.
One customer at a time.
Ematla will rise again.
