Samkelo is the Executive Director of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI). He studied education and law. He left a senior management role in the legal expenses insurance industry to head Siyakhula Trust and the Siyakhula Education and Training Institute, before moving to FXI. He has served on the boards of the Legal Expenses Insurance Southern Africa pension fund, the Johannesburg Community Legal Centre, the Southern Africa Centre for Torture Survivors, and Amnesty International Southern Africa. He is currently Chair of Amnesty International's global Nominations Committee.