Ilitha ‘Mister’ Ntinini

School: Past Scholar - SACS High School, 2019 – 2023

Currently: Connect Academy, Cape Town

Ilitha “Mister” Ntinini started at the South African College High School (“SACS”) at the beginning of his Grade 8 year in 2019.

William Brooks, one of the Rialto Project’s founders, was approached to support the formation of a 1982 Class Year Bursary at his alma mater SACS. SACS had identified Mister as a candidate for the bursary and William pledged his support through his company Capital Land.

At nine years old, Mister was one of the first players enrolled at the fledgling Connect Academy in Khayelitsha in 2014. His talent for rugby was quickly recognised and he was enrolled in Prestwich Primary School in Green Point where his skills developed further. This led him to secure a scholarship to attend SACS where he excelled on the rugby field representing the SACS first team.

Mister matriculated at the end of 2023, and has joined Connect Academy, a performance academy based in Bothasig in Cape Town, where he is completing training and sports certifications, gaining practical coaching experience as well as representing the Connect NTK first rugby team.