Rosebank International has appointed Advocate Sithembiso Ntuli as its head of legal, the private higher education brand announced this week. The change comes as the ADvTECH-owned tertiary business enlarges its footprint and undertakes campus redevelopment projects that include the institution’s Durban site.
Role and responsibilities
Ntuli, who is an admitted advocate of the High Court of South Africa, will take charge of the group’s legal function. His remit encompasses strategic legal advice, contract and commercial governance, legal and regulatory risk management, and oversight of dispute resolution. He will also be responsible for managing relationships with external counsel and building the institution’s internal legal capacity.
- Strategic legal advice and oversight of commercial contracts
- Regulatory and legal risk management within the higher education environment
- Dispute management and supervision of external counsel
Before this appointment, Ntuli served as deputy registrar at Rosebank International, where his duties covered governance, compliance, legal affairs, policy development and student matters, the organisation said.
Experience in law and education policy
His background bridges the legal profession and education policy. Ntuli completed pupillage at the Johannesburg Society of Advocates in 2019 and has worked in schools in KwaZulu‑Natal as a head of department and educator. He has lectured as an associate at the University of KwaZulu‑Natal and previously worked as a policy analyst.
Among his policy contributions, he was the lead drafter of the Policy on Home Education, which the Council of Education Ministers approved in July 2018. That policy establishes the rules governing parents who choose to provide compulsory‑age education at home.
Institutional growth and campus plans
Rosebank International was rebranded from IIE Rosebank College in May 2026, aligning South African campuses with Rosebank International University College in Accra, Ghana. ADvTECH has said it is redeveloping campuses in Braamfontein, Durban and Polokwane and intends to open a new campus in KuGompo City (formerly East London) in 2027.
| Metric | Six months to 30 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Tertiary revenue | R2.24 billion |
| Operating profit (tertiary) | R592 million |
| Tertiary enrolments | 71,467 |
During the six months to 30 June 2026 ADvTECH reported a year‑on‑year increase in both revenue and operating profit for its tertiary division, alongside a rise in student numbers across its private higher education brands.
Local impact in KwaZulu‑Natal
The appointment is notable for KwaZulu‑Natal because Ntuli has a track record in the province’s education sector. His experience in KZN schools and his academic ties at the University of KwaZulu‑Natal provide local insight as Rosebank International advances redevelopment work at its Durban campus.
Redevelopment and expansion at the Durban campus are likely to shape student intake, staff recruitment and collaboration with local education stakeholders. As Rosebank aligns more closely with its Ghanaian counterpart and seeks to grow enrolments, the legal function will play a central role in ensuring compliance with South African regulatory frameworks. Private institutions must be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and have programmes accredited by the Council on Higher Education.
What this means for students and staff
For prospective and current students, redevelopment projects can mean improved facilities and broader programme offerings, but also changes in campus administration and governance. For staff, expansion often brings new roles and contractual arrangements that will fall under the remit of the legal office Ntuli now leads.
ADvTECH’s public reporting shows a period of growth for its tertiary arm, which may translate into increased recruitment and investment in Durban. The legal team will be expected to manage governance risks inherent in such expansion.
As Rosebank International implements redevelopment plans and grows its enrolment base, the institution’s strengthened legal leadership aims to support that trajectory while ensuring regulatory compliance and robust governance.
Reporting from Durban.
