About
Mrs Mmasibidi Setaka-Bapela is a Digital Humanities Researcher specialising in Sesotho, with a background in lexicography, translation, and editing. She holds degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria, and is actively involved in language development through her roles in DHASA, the Pan South African Language Board, and the University of the Free State Academic Advisory Board.
Biography
Mrs Mmasibidi Setaka-Bapela is a Digital Humanities Researcher specialising in Sesotho, with extensive experience in lexicography, translation, editing, and the development of African language resources. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and African Languages from the University of the Witwatersrand, a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Applied Language Studies, and a Master’s degree in African Languages from the University of Pretoria, where her research focused on corpus-based lexicography for Sesotho. She is actively involved in advancing African languages and digital humanities through her roles in the Digital Humanities Association of Southern Africa (DHASA), the Pan South African Language Board (Sesotho National Language Body), and the University of the Free State Academic Advisory Board, and has contributed to numerous local and international conferences and workshops including TEDAL 2021, RAIL, DHASA Conference, CarpentryConnect South Africa, and the Hundzula Retreat. Her professional experience includes working as a Sesotho Translator for Bona Magazine, a Digital Humanities Researcher at the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources, and a Data Carpentry Instructor and Trainer, through which she continues to support the preservation, development, and digital transformation of African languages.