She has earned a Bachelor of Social Work, and an MA in Human Rights from the University of Fort Hare in South Africa, respectively. She followed this by completing a two-year mobility Erasmus Mundus MA in Advanced Development in Social Work, from the University of Lincoln, Aalborg University, Instituto Superior de Ciencias Sociais e Politicas, Universidade De Lisboa and Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Defense. Her MA thesis was a qualitative study focusing on the welfare support for migrant youth in Paris suburbs, particularly how their needs and views are ignored in ‘culture-blind’ policies in France. Silindile is passionate about research focused on migrants and refugees and working around issues of youth development.

Her passion and commitment to gender, youth and equality is very strong and draws from her professional experience in Botswana, South Africa and India. She has been involved in several voluntary positions where she has offered her research skills on refugee issues and engaged in community development projects aimed at empowering youth and children from underprivileged backgrounds. Her current research interests include exploring the concepts of identity, belonging and the meaning of citizenship in contexts where indigeneity and ethnicity is at the foundation of national discourse and practice.