Our People

The Team

Builders, researchers, and advocates shaping responsible AI across Eswatini and beyond.

7 members

Robert Selemani

Co-founder & Managing Director

As Co-founder and Managing Director of AI Eswatini, Robert Selemani provides strategic direction to the organisation, oversees its overall administration, and ensures smooth governance. Professionally, Robert is an AI and Cloud Practitioner, an emerging leader in technology policy and AI diplomacy. With over five years of experience across healthcare, mining, and tech, he has applied artificial intelligence to deliver solutions in these different sectors. Passionate about AI governance and policy advocacy, Robert attended The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership and the Next Generation at Chatham House and engages in Chatham House's Common Futures Conversations as a member. He took part as a member of the Y20 South Africa Track 3 working group on AI, Digital Innovation, and the Future of Work. Recognised as an AI Ambassador, Robert bridges technical innovation and regulatory foresight, with a vision to shape global policy frameworks that ensure AI fosters equity, resilience, and sustainable development. He is deeply passionate about community building and empowering others, and to date, he has supported and equipped more than 200 young Africans through the various initiatives he has spearheaded. Robert is also the founder of the Repliteq Group of companies.

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Samkelo Msibi

Director Of Partnerships and Operations

Samkelo Msibi serves as the Director of Partnerships and Operations at AI Eswatini, where he provides strategic leadership in the establishment, management, and advancement of institutional partnerships, operational governance frameworks, stakeholder relations, and collaborative research and innovation initiatives. Samkelo’s expertise spans across enterprise information systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, cybersecurity governance, business continuity management, information technology risk management, data protection, regulatory compliance, digital governance, and security-oriented systems architecture. In addition to his professional practice, he is an intelligence researcher and software engineer whose work is situated at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy engineering, digital governance, and responsible technology development. His research and technical contributions focus on the development of secure, resilient, transparent, and compliant digital ecosystems that enable innovation while safeguarding critical information assets, digital infrastructure, organisational interests, and the rights of individuals and communities. Through his research, innovation, and professional contributions, Mr. Msibi has received recognition from numerous distinguished institutions and initiatives, including, among others, the Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC), Huawei Technologies, Telkom innovation programmes, the Deep Learning Indaba, Leaders of Africa, Data Science Africa, and other recognised platforms that promote excellence in technology, research, and innovation. Beyond his technical and professional achievements, Mr. Msibi is a dedicated advocate for community-centred innovation, ethical technology development, digital inclusion, and capacity building. Samkelo is particularly committed to ensuring that Africa's digital transformation is founded upon robust principles of security, privacy, accountability, transparency, fairness, and social inclusion. He firmly maintains that emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence in particular, should be deployed as instruments for sustainable socioeconomic development, institutional strengthening, and human advancement. Accordingly, his work is guided by a steadfast commitment to leveraging technology as a catalyst for economic growth, food security, improved healthcare delivery, and the reduction of social and economic inequalities, thereby contributing to the creation of a more secure, equitable, and prosperous society.

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Bandile Malaza

Co-founder & AI/ML Researcher

Bandile Malaza is the Co-founder, Webmaster & Digital Media Lead, Skills Development and Social Responsibility Lead, and AI/ML Researcher at AI Eswatini. In these roles, he helps shape the organization's strategic direction, oversees its digital infrastructure, and leads initiatives focused on AI capacity building and responsible technology adoption. He manages key digital platforms, drives multi-channel awareness campaigns, and develops data-driven reporting frameworks that demonstrate the organization's impact on youth empowerment, community development, and AI literacy across Eswatini. Professionally, Bandile serves as a Developer and Technical Consultant at Finware Enterprise Systems, where he specializes in customizing and extending Acumatica ERP solutions to improve business efficiency and operational performance. His expertise includes C# development, REST API integration, SQL Server administration, enterprise systems implementation, and business process automation for clients across Southern Africa. Beyond ERP development, Bandile applies machine learning, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to solve real-world business challenges. He designs predictive models, develops business intelligence solutions, and builds data-driven reporting systems that transform complex operational data into actionable insights aligned with governance, compliance, and strategic objectives. A passionate advocate for responsible innovation, Bandile is a multi-award-winning researcher and developer whose work has been recognized at leading technology and AI events across Africa, including SATNAC 2023/24, PolyHack 2023, MachineHack (India), IndabaX Eswatini 2024, and the Deep Learning Indaba 2025 in Kigali. He has also served as a Microsoft Responsible AI Coach, facilitating workshops on Azure Content Safety, prompt engineering, and ethical AI practices. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Eswatini and is also the Managing Partner of Swazigist, where he leads business development, strategic planning, and growth initiatives.

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Khanyisile Magagula

Co-Founder & ML Engineer

Khanyisile Magagula is a Machine Learning Engineer, AI researcher, and technology leader working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, healthcare, and real-world systems deployment in Africa. She is the Co-Founder of AI Eswatini, an initiative focused on empowering Eswatini through ethical, inclusive, and impactful AI innovation. She is also the Co-Founder of Kuphila AI, a Kenya-based startup taking artificial intelligence into laboratory environments, with a focus on computer vision for microscopic imaging and cancer detection. Her work spans machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and applied AI systems, with a strong emphasis on building solutions that function effectively in low-resource environments. She is particularly interested in healthcare AI, agricultural intelligence systems, and edge AI deployment, where connectivity and infrastructure constraints require robust, efficient, and context-aware model design. Khanyisile has contributed to research and innovation in computer vision, including deep learning approaches for real-time sugarcane leaf disease detection. Her work has been recognized within Africa's AI research ecosystem, including participation in the Deep Learning Indaba, as well as winning teams in both the Data Science for Health Africa (DS4H) Ideathon and the Deep Learning Indaba Ideathon. The DS4H work was notably featured by Google Research and Google Health, highlighting its relevance to global health innovation and applied machine learning in underserved contexts. She also achieved 2nd place in the IndabaX 2023 poster presentation competition, further demonstrating the academic strength and research impact of her work within the African AI community. She is currently based in Zambia, where she is working on building and deploying machine learning solutions for maternal health in low-resource settings. Through her work with Dawa Health, she contributes to the development of AI systems for healthcare applications that support frontline health workers and improve healthcare delivery in underserved regions. These initiatives are supported in collaboration with UNICEF and UNFPA, reflecting a strong focus on real-world impact in public health systems. Her broader vision is to build trustworthy, accessible, and impactful AI systems that address critical challenges in African communities, while contributing to the global advancement of responsible and applied artificial intelligence.

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Thembinkosi Mkhonta

Projects Lead

Thembinkosi Mkhonta is the Projects Lead at AI Eswatini, where he drives the technical delivery of the organisation's initiatives. He brings an engineering background to the role, with experience in backend systems, cloud infrastructure, and data. His technical interests centre on infrastructure, data systems, and cloud-native development, with a focus on observability, automation, and reliability. He channels this into an active open source practice, building and maintaining tools that range from database engines and web frameworks to developer CLI utilities. Beyond tooling, his work extends into applied AI and machine learning engineering. He has contributed to AI agents for automated code vulnerability scanning, and co-founded Fundmo, a transparent and secure fundraising platform built for communities across Southern Africa. Thembinkosi is a multiple hackathon award winner. He was part of the team that won both the Best Overall Innovators Award and the Best Telkom Award at the 2024 SATNAC conference, where they presented a centralised and automated monitoring solution for telecoms, competing against participants across Southern Africa. He also placed second at the Code for Care Hackathon, organised by Georgetown University in collaboration with Royal Science and Technology Park, tackling HIV related healthcare access challenges for adolescent girls and young women in Eswatini. In 2023, he won first place at the MoMo Hackathon with a FinTech fundraising platform built on the MoMo API.

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Phila Gumedze

Social Media Manager

Phila Gumedze is a dedicated customer service professional and emerging social media manager with a passion for communication, community engagement, and digital innovation. With over two years of experience in customer-facing roles, Phila has developed strong skills in client relations, problem-solving, and delivering exceptional service experiences. Driven by a commitment to continuous learning and professional growth, Phila has expanded into the field of digital communications and currently serves as a Social Media Manager for AI Eswatini. In this role, Phila contributes to raising awareness about artificial intelligence, creating engaging content, and fostering meaningful online conversations that promote education and innovation within the community. Known for a strong work ethic, adaptability, and a collaborative approach, Phila is passionate about leveraging technology and effective communication to create positive impact. Based in Eswatini, Phila continues to pursue opportunities that combine customer engagement, digital marketing, and emerging technologies while contributing to the growth and development of local communities.

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Nkosephayo Nhleko

Creative Content Specialist

Nkosephayo Nhleko is a forward-thinking professional who seamlessly bridges the worlds of physical design and digital innovation. As a Candidate Architectural Technologist and Project Manager, she brings spatial concepts to life with technical precision and strategic oversight. Her architectural background provides her with a unique perspective on structure, functionality, and aesthetic harmony — qualities that she increasingly translates into the digital realm. Driven by a keen interest in modern workflows, she has expanded her expertise by earning a certification in Generative AI, positioning herself at the cutting edge of technological integration within professional practices. Beyond her core architectural pursuits, Nkosephayo is deeply committed to leveraging her skills for community advancement and professional empowerment. She channelizes this passion through impactful community service, serving as a vital digital content creator for prominent organizations. Through her work with WomEng, she actively champions the visibility and success of women and youth in engineering and technology, using digital media to build networks and inspire the next generation of leaders. Simultaneously, her role as a Creative Content Specialist for AI Eswatini allows her to amplify the reach of artificial intelligence education and literacy, translating complex tech concepts into engaging, accessible narratives for her community. Nkosephayo is fueled by a profound passion for technological evolution and stands as an enthusiastic advocate for AI initiatives. She is consistently eager to collaborate on forward-looking projects that explore the transformative power of machine intelligence, whether optimising design workflows or creating impactful digital advocacy campaigns.

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Core Values

Built on trust, inclusion, and measurable impact — these principles guide every program we run and every partnership we form.

Openness

Open science & open data to make AI knowledge transparent and accessible.

Collaboration

Interdisciplinary local + global collaboration to build stronger impact.

Innovation

Out-of-the-box solutions that address real local challenges.

Ethics & Responsibility

Fair, transparent, accountable AI built to be trusted.

Inclusion & Diversity

Equitable participation regardless of gender, geography, or background.

Impact

Results-oriented programs focused on measurable improvements in people's lives.

Get Involved

We're always looking for passionate people to help us build the AI ecosystem in Eswatini. Every role matters.

Always open

Volunteer

Join our core volunteer team to help organise events, run community programs, and expand our reach across Eswatini.

Get involved

Rolling

Research & Projects

Collaborate on applied AI research, co-author publications, or partner on data-driven projects that create local impact.

Propose a project

Open

Speaking & Training

Share your expertise at our workshops, bootcamps, and public events as a speaker, trainer, or panellist.

Reach out

Open

Mentorship

Guide emerging AI practitioners in Eswatini — even one conversation can change the trajectory of a career.

Become a mentor

Don't see your fit?

Reach out anyway.

We're open to unconventional collaborations. If you care about responsible AI in Eswatini, we want to hear from you.