Xolani Mazibuko

I design and build meaningful experiences.

I am a digital polymath relentlessly curious software engineer who thrives on lifelong learning and innovation. My journey spans diverse technologies from Python, Django, and AWS to modern front-end frameworks like TypeScript and React.

I'm currently looking for employment.

Senior : {

Fullstack Engineer,

}

I am particularily interested in product facing postions where I can help make an organization wide impact.

Full Stack

Featured Projects

Focused on the experience, driven by the engineering.

vault

Public

AI-Powered Knowledge Management with RAG A full-stack document Q&A system built with FastAPI and React, combining hybrid vector and keyword search, reranking, query enhancement, and LLM-powered answers for fast retrieval.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • PostgreSQL
  • PyTorch
  • Scikit-learn
  • NumPy
  • Redis
  • SQLAlchemy
  • TypeScript
  • React
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Storybook
  • Redux
  • ViteJS
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Secure-File-Statement-Delivery

Public

Secure PDF Statement Delivery API A FastAPI service for authenticated PDF delivery with encrypted storage, PostgreSQL, Redis caching, pluggable backends, and production observability built in.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • PostgreSQL
  • Redis
  • Docker
  • Azure
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eld-logs-spotter

Public

FMCSA-Compliant ELD Trip Planner A trip-planning application for commercial drivers that calculates routes and generates compliant Electronic Logging Device log sheets with backend automation and real-time updates.

  • Python
  • Django
  • PostgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • NextJS
  • Celery
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mention-python

Public

Python Client Library for the Mention API A typed Python SDK for the Mention media monitoring API with sync and async support, documentation, and CI/CD automation for reliable releases.

  • Python
  • Git
  • GitHub
  • TypeScript

Synopsis

About Me

I'm a senior software engineer with over 7 years of experience building scalable backend systems and full-stack applications, currently pursuing a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science at UNISA. My core focus is Python backend development — FastAPI, Django, PostgreSQL, Redis — with a strong track record across AI platforms, data pipelines, and cloud infrastructure on AWS and Azure.

Xolani Mazibuko photo

Soft Skills That Pay the Bills

Beyond technical depth, I bring strong leadership and architectural thinking refined through leading teams, mentoring engineers, and owning long-term technical roadmaps. I approach problems with evidence-based rigour — diagnosing root causes before committing to solutions. Outside work I stay sharp through gym and basketball, which keep the discipline and competitive drive alive.

Research and Planning

I find the most leverage in the architecture and design phases of a project. Whether decomposing a microservices system, designing database schemas for scale, or planning zero-downtime migration strategies, I invest heavily upfront to avoid costly rework downstream.

  • User Research
  • Digital Strategy
  • Design Systems
  • Product Strategy

Hardskills

Technical

My primary stack is Python — FastAPI and Django on the backend, paired with PostgreSQL, Redis, and RabbitMQ for data and messaging layers. I've built and shipped production systems on both Azure and AWS, including Dockerised deployments with CI/CD pipelines, observability stacks, and async task processing with Celery. I'm equally comfortable on the frontend with React and Next.js when the work calls for it.

Polymath Foundations

My background spans data analytics, backend engineering, cloud infrastructure, and AI integration — from building RAG pipelines with pgvector and Qdrant to prototyping AWS Bedrock embeddings for unstructured data classification. That breadth gives me a systems-level perspective that purely specialised engineers often miss.

Software I love to work with

I thrive on building systems that are reliable, observable, and easy to reason about. Whether I'm designing a microservices architecture, debugging a subtle async race condition, or reviewing a pull request, I care deeply about the craft. Good software is not just functional — it's maintainable, testable, and built with the next engineer in mind.

  • VSCode
  • Postman
  • Notion
  • Chrome DevTools
  • DBeaver
  • Ubuntu

Technologies I love to build with

Python, FastAPI, Django, PostgreSQL, Redis, RabbitMQ, MongoDB, React, Next.js, AWS, Azure, Docker, GitHub Actions, Celery, SQLAlchemy, TypeScript

  • Python
  • Django
  • FastAPI
  • Flask
  • PostgreSQL
  • Redis
  • Docker
  • Azure
  • AWS
  • JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • React
  • NextJS
  • NodeJS
  • Git
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • Tailwind CSS
Data Strings 01 by Colorpong: https://ywft.us/2177b695b

Career

Experience

I am current managing, designing, and developing all consumer and digital product initiatives at My Supply Co.

Freelance Software Engineer - Full Stack (Remote)

Contract

Jan 2025 - Apr 2026 · 16 months

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

At Pepper Potts and HICO Group, I worked across two senior fullstack roles spanning freelance and AI platform engineering. At Pepper Potts, I led backend development for a large-scale Django-based procurement and user-management platform, designing and optimising Django/DRF APIs, database schemas, raw SQL queries, and multi-DB workflows to improve dashboard and reporting performance. I drove code quality through unit and integration testing, static analysis, code reviews, and Dockerised CI/CD deployments, while mentoring mid and junior engineers and contributing to long-term architecture planning. At HICO Group, I built and scaled Vault, a multi-tenant AI knowledge platform, delivering high-performance FastAPI services and background workflows backed by PostgreSQL, Supabase, and Azure AI. I developed document processing pipelines and semantic search using Qdrant, integrated enterprise authentication with Azure AD and LDAP, and optimised ML inference workflows using pandas, scikit-learn, and sentence-transformers. I collaborated with frontend teams to expose stable APIs for React components and drove zero-downtime releases through Docker-based CI/CD deployments.

  • Python
  • Django
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • NodeJS
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • Jest
  • Mocha
  • Storybook

Dotdigital (Software Engineer - Full Stack Engineer, Remote)

Contract Full-time

July 2024 - Dec 2024 · 6 months

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

At Dotdigital, I work as a Full Stack Engineer, collaborating within agile teams to develop and scale a high-performance, multitenant platform handling vast amounts of data. My role involves designing and implementing backend services using Django, Node.js, and Python while integrating front-end interfaces with React. I ensure system security and reliability by enforcing best practices throughout the development lifecycle. Additionally, I optimize large-scale data interactions, streamline queries, and enhance database schemas. I also contribute to automated deployments and CI/CD workflows, ensuring rapid, reliable releases while working closely with product managers, designers, and QA engineers to refine and enhance digital solutions.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • Material UI
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • AWS)

iOLAP (Software Engineer - Full Stack Engineer, Hybrid)

Full-time

Oct 2023 – May 2024 · 8 months

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

During my time at iOLAP, I played a key role in designing and implementing robust software solutions using FastAPI for backend development and React with Material UI for the front end. I focused on integrating data storage solutions, optimizing database interactions, and implementing caching mechanisms to improve performance. I collaborated closely with the design team to create seamless UI/UX experiences and provided mentorship to junior developers by conducting code reviews and offering technical guidance. Additionally, I prepared technical documentation and worked with international clients, helping to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementations for scalable solutions.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • Material UI
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • AWS)

Apollo (Freelance Software Engineer - Full Stack)

Full-time

July 2022 – Sept 2023 · 1 year 3 months

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

As a freelance Full Stack Engineer at Apollo, I took on diverse projects, including configuring AWS virtual machines and setting up on-premise servers for RFID devices. I developed Flask APIs and React-based user interfaces, integrating various authentication mechanisms for secure access. My role also involved working with payment solutions, implementing real-time communication using event-driven architectures, and managing SQL-based databases. Additionally, I developed automated testing suites to ensure code quality. This experience allowed me to refine my problem-solving skills, work with a wide range of technologies, and handle the full development cycle from infrastructure setup to application deployment.

  • Python
  • Flask
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • Git
  • AWS

Healthforce (Backend Engineer)

Full-time

Novs 2021 – June 2022 · 8 months

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

At Healthforce, I worked as a Backend Engineer, focusing on designing and implementing database models and performing migrations using Django ORM. My work involved writing unit and integration tests to ensure the reliability and functionality of backend applications. I developed and maintained authentication and authorization systems while optimizing application performance through caching and query optimizations. I also implemented CI/CD pipelines to automate deployment processes and worked on securing applications by applying best practices such as CSRF protection, input validation, and secure communication protocols. In addition, I participated in code reviews and collaborated with cross-functional teams to enhance overall system performance.

  • Python
  • FastAPI
  • postgreSQL
  • Git(Hub)

Tentpole DataSciences (Software Developer - Full Stack)

Contract Full-time

June 2021 – June 2022 · 1 year 1 month

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

During my time at iOLAP, I played a key role in designing and implementing robust software solutions using FastAPI for backend development and React with Material UI for the front end. I focused on integrating data storage solutions, optimizing database interactions, and implementing caching mechanisms to improve performance. I collaborated closely with the design team to create seamless UI/UX experiences and provided mentorship to junior developers by conducting code reviews and offering technical guidance. Additionally, I prepared technical documentation and worked with international clients, helping to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementations for scalable solutions.

  • Python
  • Django
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • Material UI
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • Pandas
  • Gitlab
  • AWS

1609 Group (Software Developer - Backend/Fullstack Engineer)

Contract Full-time

Jan 2019 – May 2021 · 2 year 5 months

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

At 1609 Group, I initially focused on backend development using Python, Django, and PostgreSQL before expanding my skill set to include PHP and Phalcon. Over time, I transitioned into full-stack development, working with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, later incorporating React. I gained proficiency in designing and integrating APIs for both backend and frontend applications. My responsibilities included implementing new features, maintaining the admin site, and documenting project details using Confluence. Working in an Agile environment, I utilized Jira for project tracking and collaborated with teams to enhance system functionality, ensuring seamless user experiences and optimized performance.

  • Python
  • Django
  • postgreSQL
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • Material UI
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • Pandas
  • Gitlab
  • AWS

DDIMM & Digital Republic Consulting (Data Analyst & Software Developer)

Contract Full-time

February 2018 – January 2019 · 1 year

Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

At DDIMM and Digital Republic Consulting, I focused on data analytics and software development, working extensively with Python and Pandas to process and analyze large datasets from social media, print, and online sources. I automated reporting processes using Python-pptx, generating dynamic PowerPoint presentations with media insights. Additionally, I developed an API wrapper for Mention, streamlining media monitoring and data retrieval. My role also involved sentiment analysis, data cleaning, and report writing, ensuring accurate and actionable insights. This experience allowed me to merge data analytics with software development, reinforcing my ability to create data-driven solutions in dynamic environments.

  • Python
  • HTML5
  • Pandas
  • Google Sheets
  • Jupyter
  • Chrome