Myrothamnus flabelifollius Welw. is a desiccation-tolerant medicinal plant native to Southern Africa which exhibits remarkable revival ability after prolonged periods of desiccation. This study aimed to characterise rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria from M. flabellifolius for plant growth-promoting traits including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, phosphate solubilisation, as well as the production of ammonia, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), indole acetic acid (IAA), and siderophores. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, 33 isolates were identified, representing 10 different genera. Bacillus was the most prevalent genus accounting for 36.4 %. All 33 isolates demonstrated ACC deaminase activity and possessed the ACC deaminase-encoding acdS gene. Additionally, 30 of the 33 isolates harboured the nitrogen fixation gene (nifH), while phosphate solubilisation was observed in 40 % of the isolates, with Cupriavidus metallidurans (PSI 5) demonstrating the highest activity. Ammonia production was detected in 63 % of the isolates, predominantly from rhizosphere bacteria (63.2 %), with Bacillus genera being the most dominant (42.1 %). HCN production was observed in the isolates belonging to the genera Agrobacterium, Bacillus, Cellulosimicrobium, and Pseudomonas. IAA was predominantly produced by rhizosphere isolates, with production ranging from 2.08 to 247.29 µg/ml range in the presence of tryptophan, and in the absence of tryptophan respectively. Siderophore production was observed in 13.3 % of isolates, mostly those in the genera Pseudomonas (50 %), Klebsiella (25 %), and Cupriavidus (25 %). These findings enhance our understanding of plant-microbe interactions in extreme environments and suggest potential applications for improving crop productivity in drought-prone regions, with potential for fostering global food security and sustainable agriculture.