Sabelo Mpisi

Sabelo Mpisi is a Cohort 4 Umholi we Africa Fellow, currently serving as Technical Advisor (Policy & Strategy) in the Office of Hon. Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, Member of Parliament for Build One South Africa (BOSA), Republic of South Africa. In this role, he brings his research and analytical expertise to policy and strategic work within South Africa’s parliamentary landscape. 

Sabelo is an independent researcher based in Cape Town, whose work sits at the intersection of youth, labour markets, education, politics, and social governance. His research explores the challenges young people face as they transition from education into the world of work, including unemployment, underemployment, political participation, and post-university transitions. He also has a growing interest in the relationship between agriculture and food security. 

Before taking on his current role, Sabelo worked as an Assistant Lecturer and Teaching Assistant at the University of Cape Town (UCT) before joining the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) as a Research Fellow. These experiences have strengthened his ability to engage critically with social and economic questions while translating research into insights relevant to policy and public discourse. 

Sabelo holds a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology from UCT, where he was both a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program scholar. His academic journey reflects a sustained commitment to understanding the social and structural factors shaping opportunities for young Africans. 

Beyond his research on youth and labour markets, Sabelo has developed a strong interest in Artificial Intelligence and its implications for higher education, pedagogy, and social governance. He is particularly interested in how emerging technologies can reshape institutions, learning, and the relationship between citizens and public systems. 

Through the Umholi we Africa Fellowship, Sabelo is bringing research, critical inquiry, and evidence-informed thinking into public policy, while deepening his contribution to conversations on youth opportunity, inclusive governance, and Africa’s evolving social and technological landscape.