Jozi.JS November - Goodbye 2026

Join us for a night of code, drinks, and good conversation.

NOTE: Usually we run JoziJS on the last Thursday of the month. This month we will be on Wednesday

Agenda:
• 18:00 - Drinks and network.
• 18:30 - Talks
• 19:30 - Food and more networking

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Lightning Talk:
Title: From Unplugged Logic to Production Code: Tech Literacy for African Girls

Description:
The digital divide in South Africa won't close itself, and waiting around for a memo isn't going to work. In this lightning talk, I'll share the journey of launching Syntax ya Ntombi, a non-profit initiative dedicated to bringing accessible tech literacy to African women and girls. You'll hear how our tiered curriculum takes learners from screen-free foundational logic all the way to career-ready code. Join me to see why mentoring the next wave of diverse tech talent is the best project you'll ever contribute to.

Speaker:
Khatisani is a Wits graduate in molecular and cell biology who transitioned from the wet lab to the dry lab to dive into software engineering. As the founder of her own technical consulting company and the founder & executive director of Syntax ya Ntombi, she is deeply passionate about building impactful technology and expanding digital access. She also serves as a Women Techmakers Ambassador and the Lead UI/UX Mentor for She Leads Tech Africa. When she isn't busy working toward becoming a research computational biologist specialising in psychiatry, you can find her coding on her pink VS Code setup and passionately fighting anyone who dares to code in light mode.

Main talk:
Title: She Didn't Tell Anyone. The Data Already Had.

Description
A company once knew a stranger's biggest secret before her own family did and it wasn't magic, it was math. This talk pulls back the curtain on data engineering: the quiet machinery behind your Shoprite loyalty card, your banking app, and half the internet you scroll through. We'll follow one shopper's data from till scan to text message, and by the end you'll see exactly how a receipt becomes a prediction. Fair warning: you'll never look at your loyalty card the same way again.

Speaker:
Kea Mmakola
4x Microsoft Certified developer. 6 years building tech where it matters most. By day, I run infrastructure for a fintech startup and handle data engineering and DevOps for an established corporation. By night, that same grit goes into Kleva Academy, an AI-powered revision platform I founded to revolutionise how Grade 10–12 learners use technology to excel in school.
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Important Notes:
Parking is available at The Zone, Rosebank. Parking will be validated so you do not need to pay for it.
The meetup will be streamed on JoziJS's YouTube account.September