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Vukosi Marivate

Computer scientist and professor

By South African Index Editorial Desk · Published

Portrait of Vukosi Marivate at Wikimania 2025.
Photograph: Matti Blume · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP for this site.

Vukosi Marivate is Professor of Computer Science and the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science at the University of Pretoria. His work includes machine learning, natural-language processing, African-language technologies and data science for social impact. He received the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver in 2026. [1][2][3]

Biography

Marivate studied electrical engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand and completed a PhD in computer science at Rutgers University. The University of Pretoria records that he joined its Department of Computer Science and became the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science, leading the Data Science for Social Impact research group. [1]

His research focuses on machine learning, artificial intelligence and natural-language processing, with particular attention to local and low-resource languages. The University of Pretoria identifies him as a co-founder of the Deep Learning Indaba, a chief investigator in the Masakhane Research Foundation and a co-founder of Lelapa AI. [1]

The Deep Learning Indaba and Masakhane projects connect Marivate’s academic work with broader efforts to expand African participation in machine learning and develop natural-language technologies for African languages. His university profile also records earlier work as a senior data scientist at the CSIR. [1]

In 2026 Marivate received the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver. The Presidency cited his contributions to data science, artificial intelligence and natural-language processing, and the University of Pretoria described the award as recognition of work reshaping technological capability in South Africa and the continent. [3][2]

Key contributions

Built research programmes applying data science and machine learning to local social challenges and African-language technologies. [1]

Co-founded initiatives including the Deep Learning Indaba and Lelapa AI and contributed to Masakhane’s African-language NLP work. [1]

Career timeline

  1. Worked as a senior data scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. [1]

  2. Joined the University of Pretoria as ABSA UP Chair of Data Science. [1]

  3. Received the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver. [3][2]

Sources

  1. University of Pretoria, Prof Vukosi Marivate. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-24. ↩
  2. University of Pretoria, UP academics receive National Orders for reshaping South Africa’s future through AI and the arts, 2026-05-20. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-24. ↩
  3. The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, The Presidency announces recipients of National Orders, 2026-05-14. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-24. ↩