Matshepo Soto, 25, first dreamed of becoming an advocate. She immersed herself in public speaking and debate, competing at the provincial level in moot court competitions. But life’s circumstances redirected her path. Inspired by how machines respond, and fuelled by her uncle’s explanation of hardware and software, Matshepo was drawn into the world of IT. That led her to WeThinkCode, where she trained as a software engineer. Today, she works at Nedbank as a backend developer, building and maintaining payment systems that power secure transactions across the country. In 2024, Matshepo won seven coding competitions and received the Dynamism Youth in ICT and Rising Star in Coding awards. Her commitment to tech for social good is evident in projects like municipal chatbots, women’s safety apps and healthcare admin tools. A recognised voice in the industry, Matshepo has twice been named among the 100 Influential Women in Tech and was listed in Geekulcha’s Top 15 Young Geeks. Through initiatives like Thuma Mina Tech Foundation, which introduces technology to children with autism, and leading the Google Developer Group Pretoria, she champions inclusion in tech.
I look up to Nomonde White Ndlovu, a remarkable woman who advocates for inclusivity in technology — especially from a women-in-tech perspective. She is a trailblazer who not only speaks about representation but lives it, consistently creating spaces where women are empowered to lead, innovate and belong. Her courage and consistency in pushing for equality inspire me to walk boldly in my purpose and never settle for anything less than transformative change. In my journey, I have also been deeply impacted by my mentor, Martin Banda. In a room full of talent, he chose to believe in my potential — not because I was the most curious or most accomplished at the time, but because he recognised the depth of what I could become. He once told me, “You might not see the technical brilliance I see in you, but if you build your core foundation, you will become one of the most technical leading women in South Africa.” Those words became my anchor. Even on days when I question myself, I remember there are people who see my light — especially when I struggle to see it myself.