Thapelo Nthite is Revolutionizing African Language Accessibility Through AI Innovation

Born in Phokeng, Rustenberg, Nthite pursued a degree in mechatronics engineering at the University of Cape Town, where he researched speech-to-text technologies for under-resourced African languages.

The inspiration for Botlhale AI emerged from a personal experience.

Nthite observed his grandmother struggling to load prepaid airtime on her phone due to language barriers, as the device’s default language was English, while she spoke Setswana.

This incident highlighted the broader issue of language accessibility in digital services, motivating Nthite and his co-founders, Sange Maxaku and Xolisani Nkwentsha, to establish Botlhale AI in 2019.

Botlhale AI focuses on developing multilingual conversational bots and natural language processing tools tailored for African languages.

Their platform supports seven South African languages: English, IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, and Sepedi.

These tools enable businesses to engage with customers in their preferred languages, enhancing accessibility and user experience.

Under Nthite’s leadership, Botlhale AI has garnered significant recognition.

In October 2024, the company won the Momentum Big Success Pitch, securing R500,000 for its innovative approach to breaking down language barriers in digital services.

Additionally, Botlhale AI was named the Best Startup at the Africa Tech Festival Awards in November 2023.

Nthite’s work is driven by a passion for social justice and leveraging technology to reduce inequalities across the African continent.

Through Botlhale AI, he aims to create a more inclusive digital future by enabling people to interact with service providers through platforms in languages they understand and trust, using both text and speech.