The shape of that phase is still developing and may include collaborations, advisory work and further support for Is’khewu. For now, the focus is on applying his communications experience in ways that support organisations and contribute to the initiative’s development.
Raised in Mthatha as the middle child of five and brought up by a single mother, Ulwazi learnt early that resourcefulness and persistence matter. That grounding has remained with him throughout a career that began in journalism and developed through public relations, corporate communications and strategic brand work.
His first professional role was as an editorial assistant at ITWeb. The newsroom gave him a foundation in research, writing, editorial judgement and the ability to recognise a story worth telling. His career has since included roles at Quo Vadis Marketing Communications, Mintek, FleishmanHillard, FCB Group, Total Exposure and MSL Group.
His experience includes work with organisations and brands such as PepsiCo South Africa, Momentum Group, PayInc, Westfalia Fruit, South African Tourism, AB InBev, Mastercard Africa, Red Bull, McDonald’s South Africa and the World Health Organisation. Across corporate, public affairs and consumer work, he has developed brand narratives, media strategies, stakeholder communications, thought leadership and integrated campaigns.
Over time, he has built active, long-standing relationships with media outlets across South Africa’s print, online and broadcast sectors. This understanding of the media landscape, combined with an instinct for useful angles and credible storytelling, enables him to help organisations clarify their purpose, strengthen their reputations and connect with the audiences and stakeholders that matter to them.
The next phase may involve Ulwazi applying this experience more directly through collaborations with creative agencies and organisations ranging from start-ups to established businesses in South Africa and beyond.
The possibility of an independent consultancy under his own name forms part of that wider consideration, as does finding new ways to support Is’khewu through partnerships, resources and skills transfer. For now, the focus is on building the right relationships and allowing the work to define what comes next.
A purpose beyond the boardroom
Ulwazi is the founder and Managing Director of Is’khewu, a youth empowerment initiative being developed in Mthatha and the wider O.R. Tambo District. The name, which means "a gap" in isiXhosa, reflects its purpose: to help narrow the gap between young people's talent and the opportunities available to them.
The Eastern Cape remains one of South Africa's most economically challenged provinces, suffering from severe underdevelopment and infrastructure deficits. An Interactive Community Profile (2021) identified poverty and limited access to waged employment as primary challenges in the OR Tambo District, where unemployment among youth aged 15–24 reached 64.3% officially and 79.7% under the expanded definition.
According to Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q2: 2026), the Eastern Cape recorded the nation's highest official unemployment rate at 47.5%, escalating to 56.5% in non-metropolitan areas. Total provincial employment stood at 1.346 million, down by 116,000 compared with Q2 2025.
Its first venture, PHARApath, is focused on eduformative support for young people in Joe Slovo Park and Ngangelizwe. Through mentorship, practical guidance and skills transfer, the initiative aims to help young people build confidence, capability and clearer pathways to opportunity.
Is’khewu remains in its early stages. Over time, Ulwazi hopes to incorporate communications, writing and project management into its training offer, giving young people access to skills that have shaped his own career. Future partnerships and support will be important to that development.
Alongside this work, he is writing a debut fiction manuscript set across Mthatha and Johannesburg that draws on the spirit and texture of the Eastern Cape.
For Ulwazi, this next phase builds on the career he has established. It brings together what he has learnt about reputation, connection and the value of a well-told story, putting those lessons to work in ways that support both organisations and communities.