Sinethemba Makoma
DATA SCIENTIST/MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER
Cape Town
Summary
Sinethemba Makoma is an entrepreneurial AI & Data Science professional specializing in building production-grade, data-driven solutions that solve complex business challenges. He holds a Microsoft Professional Certificate in Data Science and an NQF SETA Accredited Certificate from Explore AI, and is currently pursuing an online degree in Applied Artificial Intelligence.
With experience at organizations including Cape AI, Hepstar, PBT/Capitec, and Nimble Collections, Sinethemba has led projects spanning predictive modeling, debt repayment analytics, customer intelligence, and intelligent automation. He has a proven track record of designing and deploying ML pipelines, LLM-powered workflows, and AI-driven decision systems, delivering measurable impact on operational efficiency and financial outcomes. Passionate about Generative AI, multi-agent systems, and emerging AI technologies, he mentors aspiring professionals through customized AI/ML upskilling programs and bootcamps, fostering the next generation of innovators in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages
Work History
Senior Data Scientist
BYC
06.2025 - Current
- Reduced time spent on manual tasks by developing automated processes using Python scripts and SQL queries.
- Presented complex findings to non-technical stakeholders through clear visualizations and concise reports.
- Data Pipeline Development: Design, build, and manage efficient and scalable data pipelines using Azure Synapse and Data Factory. Consolidate data from diverse sources into centralized warehouses or lakes and troubleshoot pipeline issues to ensure functionality.
- SQL Query Expertise: Leverage advanced SQL skills to extract, manipulate, and analyze large datasets, including data cleaning and preparation tasks.
- Python-based Data Transformation: Develop and automate data transformation processes using Python, integrating data from various sources and altering data formats to meet business needs.
- Data Modeling and Warehouse Management: Create and manage data models and warehouse structures optimized for querying and analysis, including expertise with Power BI data models (preferred).
- Performance Optimization: Continuously monitor and enhance the performance of data pipelines, ETL processes, and database systems to ensure reliability and efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence Mentor
Wecncode
04.2025 - Current
- Lead mentor and instructor for the AI/ML Mastery Bootcamp, empowering aspiring and entry-level professionals with practical, industry-ready skills in machine learning, data analytics, and AI engineering.
- Design and deliver customized upskilling programs that bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world AI applications, covering topics such as Python for Data Science, MLOps, Deep Learning, and Generative AI.
- Provide one-on-one technical mentorship and career development guidance, helping learners build strong professional portfolios, refine their technical communication, and align their career paths with market demand.
- Collaborate with education partners and industry experts to develop up-to-date course content, ensuring learners gain exposure to cutting-edge tools and frameworks like LangChain, MLflow, and OpenAI APIs.
- Foster an inclusive, innovation-driven learning environment that encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and confidence in deploying AI systems from prototype to production.
- Host workshops and speaking sessions focused on AI ethics, prompt engineering, and intelligent automation, inspiring the next generation of African AI innovators.
AI and Data Analytics Learning Specialist
2U Ed
07.2023 - 03.2025
- Developed and delivered training programs on AI and data analytics.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement training programs.
- Developed and maintained training materials and resources.
- Conducted training sessions for internal and external stakeholders.
- Analyzed training data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
- Delivered personalized educational, behavioral, and emotional support to individual students to enable positive learning outcomes.
Marketing Data Analyst (Fixed Term Contract)
Spur Corporation
09.2024 - 01.2025
- Provide insights to the marketing department, providing insights into trends and customer behavior.
- Conduct data analysis to identify opportunities for marketing campaigns.
- Develop and maintain dashboards to track marketing performance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement marketing strategies.
- Analyze customer data to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
- Assist in the development and implementation of loyalty programs, promotions, and campaigns.
- Forecasted future campaign performance using historical data, enabling proactive adjustments to meet objectives more efficiently.
- Established a comprehensive attribution model that accurately attributed revenue across multiple touchpoints in the customer journey.
- Regularly presented findings to senior leadership, clearly communicating complex data in an easily digestible format.
Data Scientist
Nimble Group
04.2022 - 09.2024
- Developed and deployed production-grade ML systems that optimized financial operations and customer engagement across Southern Africa. Built and maintained scalable pipelines for model training, evaluation, and monitoring using Python, CatBoost, and other MLOps tools.
- Led the development of predictive models including a Propensity-to-Pay model (85%+ AUC) that identified high-likelihood payers, predicted saving the company over R300K monthly through smarter call prioritization.
- Engineered an Early Agent Performance model to identify underperforming agents within 90 days, improving workforce management and retention through data-driven insights.
- Worked as part of a team that built and operationalized an LLM-powered “Collections Intelligence” system using LangChain, OCR, and multi-agent workflows to analyze and extract structured data from call transcripts and inbound emails, reducing manual categorization time by +95%.
- Designed and automated analytics dashboards for business performance, agent productivity, and recovery tracking, enabling executives to make real-time, data-backed decisions.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with product, operations, and HR teams to translate business goals into measurable ML solutions, ensuring models aligned with ROI and operational efficiency targets.
- Implemented scalable data pipelines integrating structured and semi-structured sources, improving data accessibility for analytics, reporting, and ML feature engineering.
- Cleaned, validated, and standardized customer email data using RegEx pattern matching, the email-validator library, and custom Python data-cleaning pipelines to ensure structural accuracy and valid domain verification, significantly improving contact data quality and streamlined marketing campaigns.
Data Engineer
PBT
10.2021 - 03.2022
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement data-driven strategies.
- Developed and maintained data pipelines and workflows.
- Analyzed data to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
- Developed and maintained dashboards to track performance.
- Collaborated on ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tasks, maintaining data integrity and verifying pipeline stability.
Data Analyst
Heptstar
01.2019 - 12.2019
- Conducted data analysis to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement data-driven strategies.
- Developed and maintained dashboards to track performance.
- Analyzed customer data to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
- Developed and maintained data pipelines and workflows.
Data Scientist
AI high potential
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Developed models to identify and predict customer behavior.
- Conducted data analysis to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement data-driven strategies.
- Developed and maintained dashboards to track performance.
- Analyzed customer data to identify trends and opportunities for growth.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Applied Artificial Intelligence
International University of Applied Science
Berlin 04.2001 -
No Degree - Scientific Computing And Applied Data Science Lab
Applied Data Science Lab, World Quant University, University
New Orleans 04.2001 -
No Degree - Microsoft Professional Certificate in Data Science
Datahack4FI Microsoft Professional Program in Data Science
Remote 04.2001 -
No Degree - Data Science SETA Accredited NQF Level
Explore Data Science Academy
RSA, RSA 04.2001 -
BA Soc & Philosophy - undefined
University of Cape Town
RSA, RSA01.2015
High school diploma - undefined
Intlanganiso S.S.S
Cape Town01.2013
Skills
Python
undefinedProjects And Achievements
- Dine with, RSA, Co-founder, Cape Town, 2015-04-01, Present, A platform that bridges the gap between townships and cities through hosting conversational dinners.
- Africa Science Entrepreneurship Program, Mentor, Cape Town, 2024-09-01, Present, Provide technical mentorship to 4-5 participants in an 18-month entrepreneurship program, guiding the development of AI data-driven innovation solutions.
- Backabuddy Fundraising: Fuel Khayelitsha Through the Pandemic, Cape Town, 2020-02-01, 2020-07-01, Helping poor families in the township by providing groceries for them through the funds raised from the fundraising platform.
- Datahack4fi, Cape Town, 3rd place, 2018-12-01, 2019-08-01, Worked with a tech emerging start-up to build data driven solution as a Data Enthusiast with the help of a mentor along the journey, and we went to the finals in JHB and came 3rd out of 10 companies participated in the competition.
- ETools Kit for Entrepreneurs (UWC), Cape Town, 2017-08-01, 2017-08-01, Accredited eTools Kit for Entrepreneurs (UWC) by CIECT.
- #YouthStartCT, Cape Town, 6th place winner, 2017-04-01, 2017-07-01
- Rockefeller Next Century Award, New York, 2013-12-01, 2013-12-01, Represented Innovate the Cape in the US for the most innovative idea in SA.
- Govarsity, RSA, Co-founder, Cape Town, 2013-08-01, 2017-12-01, Mobile web app that provides educational platform for varsity student and high scholars to help one another through assistance of mentorship and content sharing.
- Innovate the Cape, Cape Town, Overall winner, 2013-08-01, 2014-01-01, Won the 1st place for having the most innovative idea.
Personal Information
- Visa Status: SA Citizen by Birth
- Date of Birth: 11 Aug 1994
- Nationality: South African
- Marital Status: Single
- Currently live in CPT
References
Dawie Steenkamp, Nimble Group, 0824910628, dawies@nimblegroup.co.za
Timeline
Senior Data Scientist
BYC
06.2025 - Current
Artificial Intelligence Mentor
Wecncode
04.2025 - Current
Marketing Data Analyst (Fixed Term Contract)
Spur Corporation
09.2024 - 01.2025
AI and Data Analytics Learning Specialist
2U Ed
07.2023 - 03.2025
Data Scientist
Nimble Group
04.2022 - 09.2024
Data Engineer
PBT
10.2021 - 03.2022
Data Analyst
Heptstar
01.2019 - 12.2019
Data Scientist
AI high potential
01.2018 - 12.2018
Bachelor of Science - Applied Artificial Intelligence
International University of Applied Science
04.2001 -
No Degree - Scientific Computing And Applied Data Science Lab
Applied Data Science Lab, World Quant University, University
04.2001 -
No Degree - Microsoft Professional Certificate in Data Science
Datahack4FI Microsoft Professional Program in Data Science
04.2001 -
No Degree - Data Science SETA Accredited NQF Level
Explore Data Science Academy
04.2001 -
BA Soc & Philosophy - undefined
University of Cape Town
High school diploma - undefined
Intlanganiso S.S.S