Ipeleng Lentsoe

Ipeleng Lentsoe is an Industrial Psychology Practitioner, researcher, and lecturer from South Africa, currently pursuing an MSc in African Studies at the University of Oxford. She is a member of Oriel College.

Ipeleng works at the University of Cape Town, where her academic interests lie at the intersection of Work Psychology, decolonial theory, and epistemic justice. She holds a degree in Industrial/Organisational Psychology and Economics and a Masters in Industrial/Organisational Psychology from the University of Cape Town. Her research centres the lived experiences of marginalised groups, with a particular focus on Black motherhood, mothering, and care work in the Global South. Her work seeks to reframe psychological knowledge by advancing a pluralistic, decolonial approach to Work Psychology.

She has presented her research at international conferences, including the Global South Critical Psychology Conference and the International Community, Work and Family Conference. Her master's dissertation was recognised with the Allan Gray Award for Best Masters Dissertation.

Ipeleng has also contributed to The Motherload Project, a community-based, interdisciplinary research initiative that uses photovoice methodologies to document the lives of low-income mothers in South Africa. By combining photography and narrative, the project positions mothers as experts of their own experiences and aims to influence policy and practice.

Outside academia, Ipeleng is a creative artist. She writes and performs music and poetry, with her work exploring themes such as love and grief. Her music has featured in television and film, including the acclaimed series Blood and Water.

After completing her MSc, Ipeleng plans to advance critical Work Psychology scholarship and contribute to frameworks of meaning-making that are responsive to the needs of African communities.