What Edutel Holdings does

Edutel Holdings (Pty) Ltd is a South African private education and skills development group founded in 1993 by Andries Pelser and headquartered in Roodepoort, Gauteng. The group operates as a holding company for five wholly-owned subsidiaries: Edutel Wholesale & Retail Academy, Edutel Skills Development, Edutel Services Company, Edutel Public Services Company, and Edutel Higher Education. Its core business is the delivery of accredited learnerships, skills programmes, occupational qualifications, recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessments, and higher education degrees (BEd, Advanced Diplomas, BBA) to corporate employers, government departments, and individual learners, primarily in the wholesale & retail, education & training, management, and public services sectors.

The company holds an unusually dense portfolio of South African regulatory accreditations — W&RSETA (provider 407), QCTO (SDP/15/0017), ETDP SETA, Services SETA, Public Service SETA, SABPP, SACE endorsement, and CHE registration through 31 December 2027 — and was the first provider accredited by both W&RSETA and QCTO. Content covers over 40 qualifications and part qualifications spanning NQF levels 1 to 8. Delivery occurs through three physical campuses (Roodepoort, Durban, Cape Town) for face-to-face and blended learning, plus a Moodle-based online platform (Edutel Online) supporting distance learning higher education programmes and online summative assessment for wholesale & retail training.

Edutel generates revenue through four primary streams: corporate training services (learnerships and skills programmes funded by employers and SETA discretionary grants), higher education tuition (charged to individual students via cash, installments, or Fundi loans), public workshops (one-time professional development programmes in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town), and RPL assessment services. The company maintains a sales-led GTM motion combining direct corporate outreach, a public-facing website with enquiry forms, social media presence, and on-site corporate training delivery. Named enterprise clients include Makro, Autozone, HomeChoice, DIRCO, SANParks, and Nespresso. The business is privately held with no external investors, Level 3 BBBEE contributor status, and a reported headcount in the 11-50 range.

Name

Edutel Holdings

Legal name

Edutel Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://edutel.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Edutel Holdings is a South African private education and training group operating through five subsidiaries that deliver SETA- and QCTO-accredited learnerships, skills programmes, RPL assessments, and CHE-accredited higher education degrees (BEd, BBA) to corporate employers, government departments, and individual learners across Gauteng, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Training Course Marketplaces (B2B Content Libraries) (EDAFAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Skills & Microlearning Marketplaces (Bite-Sized Lessons) (EDAFAIAK), Live Class & Webinar Marketplaces/Directories (EDAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Wholesale retail training
• Higher education qualifications
• Skills development programmes
• Learnerships and apprenticeships
• Corporate training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corporate Training Services: Edutel provides learnerships, skills programmes, and qualifications to corporate clients (wholesale & retail, public services, management). Revenue generated through employer-funded training programmes, often supported by SETA discretionary grants and skills development levies.
2. Higher Education Tuition: Distance learning higher education programmes (BEd, Advanced Diplomas, BBA) charged to individual students. Payment options include cash payments, installment plans, and Fundi loans for government employees. Study materials in e-book format included with programme fees.
3. Public Workshops: Short workshop programmes offered publicly in curriculum development, facilitator training, assessor training, moderator training, project management, and other professional development topics for individual participants.
4. RPL Assessment Services: Recognition of Prior Learning assessment services for individuals with prior knowledge and experience seeking formal qualification credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Edutel Holdings is a South African group of companies that delivers accredited workplace training, learnerships, skills programmes, and qualifications across the wholesale & retail, education & training, management, and public services sectors, alongside privately registered higher education degrees and diplomas. Programmes are offered through face-to-face, blended, and online (Moodle-based) delivery at physical campuses in Roodepoort, Durban, and Cape Town.

Product overview

Edutel Holdings is a group of companies consisting of four skills development providers (Edutel Wholesale & Retail Academy, Edutel Skills Development, Edutel Services Company, Edutel Public Services Company) and one private higher education institution (Edutel Higher Education). The organization operates as a one-stop educational service provider specializing in skills development, higher education, recognition of prior learning, and teacher training. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Edutel Higher Education offering CHE-accredited qualifications ranging from Diploma to BEd Honours levels across Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, and Business Administration disciplines via distance learning; (2) Edutel Wholesale & Retail Academy providing W&RSETA and QCTO-accredited learnerships, skills programmes, and occupational qualifications; (3) Edutel Skills Development offering ETDP SETA and QCTO-accredited programmes; (4) Edutel Services Company providing Services SETA-accredited management training; (5) Edutel Public Services Company providing Public Service SETA-accredited qualifications. Additional offerings include CPTD courses endorsed by SACE, public workshops, and RPL assessment services. The company delivers through face-to-face, blended, and online learning modes with assessment centres in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale & Retail Learnerships and Skills Programmes W&RSETA and QCTO-accredited learnerships, skills programmes, and QCTO occupational qualifications covering wholesale and retail sector roles. Delivered to employers and learners via face-to-face, blended, and online modes with online summative assessment, offering over 95% of qualifications registered for the Wholesale & Retail Sector.
• ETDP SETA Qualifications and Skills Programmes ETDP SETA and QCTO-accredited qualifications and part qualifications for the Education, Training and Development Practices sector, including NQF level 5 and 6 OD-ETDP qualifications. Targets educators, trainers, and corporate learning teams needing facilitator, assessor, and moderator competencies.
• Management Training and Business Qualifications Services SETA and SABPP-accredited qualifications and part qualifications in Business Management, Human Resources, New Venture Creation, Generic Management, Marketing, and Business Administration, offered to organizations and individuals seeking management and HR skills development.
• Public Services Training Public Service SETA-accredited qualifications and part qualifications including Public Administration at NQF levels 3, 4, and 5, as well as Inspection and Enforcement Services qualifications. Targeted at government departments and public sector employees requiring accredited training.
• Diploma in Grade R Teaching NQF level 6 professional qualification (SAQA ID 109561) offered via distance learning over three years full-time or four years part-time, specialising in early childhood development, home language teaching, and English as First Additional Language. Designed for aspiring Grade R practitioners.
• Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Teaching NQF level 6 qualification (SAQA ID 110648) offered via distance learning over 1-2 years, designed for Foundation Phase teachers upgrading their qualifications and including Coding and Robotics curriculum aligned with Fourth Industrial Revolution requirements.
• Advanced Certificate in Intermediate Phase Teaching NQF level 6 qualification (SAQA ID 120903) offered via distance learning over two years, including subject endorsements in Mathematics, Science and Technology, or Life Skills and Social Sciences for Grades 4-6 teachers.
• Advanced Diploma in Education in School Leadership and Management NQF level 7 qualification (SAQA ID 101437) offered via distance learning over one or two years, designed for current and aspiring school leaders, with four structured modules developing advanced leadership and management competencies.
• Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching NQF level 7 professional teaching degree (SAQA ID 118270) offered via distance learning over four years full-time or five years part-time, preparing students to teach Grades R to 3 with emphasis on early literacy, numeracy, and holistic development.
• Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching NQF level 7 professional qualification (SAQA ID 119970) offered via distance learning over four years full-time or five years part-time, preparing student teachers to teach Grades 4 to 6 with strong foundation in subject content knowledge and teaching competence.
• Bachelor of Education Honours in Educational Leadership and Management NQF level 8 qualification (SAQA ID 119903) offered over two years via distance learning, designed for teachers with an NQF Level 7 teaching qualification aspiring toward school leadership and management roles, consisting of 10 structured modules.
• Bachelor of Business Administration NQF level 7 qualification (SAQA ID 122318) offered via distance learning over three years full-time or four years part-time, designed to produce effective executives with electives in General or Retail Business Management.
• Continued Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) Courses SACE-approved short courses for teachers, HODs, Deputy Principals, and Principals to earn CPTD/PD points. Includes Certificate in Principalship (60 PD Points), School Management and Leadership courses, Assessor/Moderator training, and subject-specific professional development.
• Public Workshops Public training workshops offered in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town covering Curriculum Development, Facilitation, Assessment, Moderation, QCTO Seminars, Supervisory Management, RPL Advisor, Mentorship, Coaching, Project Management, Customer Service, Marketing, Human Resources, and Start Your Own Business.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Assessment SAQA-aligned assessment service for individuals with prior knowledge and experience seeking formal qualification credits, involving screening, evidence collection, workplace observation, and formal assessment by registered assessors. Edutel developed the RPL Toolkit used across the wholesale & retail sector and was first to pilot RPL in that sector.
• QCTO Registered Assessment Centre Services LEISA assessments conducted by Edutel for employees who have undergone training and wish to obtain their QCTO qualification in the Wholesale & Retail or ETDP Sector, available via assessment centres in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town.

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Johannesburg Dream CenterminorOthersEdutel supports the Johannesburg Dream Center, a registered Non Profit Company and Public Benefit Company. Edutel participates in various charity events with the organization, supporting initiatives such as hunger alleviation, unemployment support, and basic needs programs in Johannesburg. The partnership focuses on community development and social impact rather than commercial objectives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Milpark Education: Private higher education institution providing distance and contact learning in business, financial planning and professional qualifications. Comparable to Edutel Higher Education in delivery model and target B2B/B2C professional learner.
• MANCOSA: Private distance-learning higher education institution offering accredited degrees, diplomas and higher certificates. Directly competes with Edutel Higher Education's distance BEd, Advanced Diploma and BBA offerings for the same South African working-professional learner.
• STADIO Holdings: JSE-listed private higher education group operating via distance and contact learning across multiple South African campuses. Highly comparable to Edutel Higher Education's BEd and BBA distance-learning model with CHE-accredited qualifications.
• Damelin: Private further-education and training provider offering SETA-accredited programmes and higher education qualifications. Directly comparable to Edutel's skills-development and higher-education dual offering in the South African market.
• Boston City Campus: Private higher education brand with national campus footprint offering diplomas, degrees and higher certificates. Comparable to Edutel in serving working professionals seeking accredited qualifications across multiple South African cities.
• Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology: Private higher education institution offering diplomas, degrees and short learning programmes across South African campuses. Comparable to Edutel's multi-campus SETA-accredited and higher-education blended delivery model.
• Regent Business School: Private higher education institution offering distance and contact programmes in business, management and education. Comparable to Edutel's BBA and management qualification portfolio targeting working professionals in South Africa.

Broad incumbents

• ADvTECH: Largest listed private education provider in South Africa operating schools, higher education and resourcing brands (including Varsity College, IIE). Comparable to Edutel as a multi-brand private education group serving both B2B employers and individual learners via accredited programmes.
• University of South Africa (UNISA): Largest open distance learning institution in Africa and a public-sector incumbent. Overlaps with Edutel Higher Education's distance-learning BEd and BBA programmes but at massive scale and with public funding advantages.
• Curro Holdings: JSE-listed private school group with teacher-development and accreditation exposure. Relevant as an adjacent private education incumbent competing for the same South African education-sector wallet and regulatory attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edutelholdings
• Facebookfacebook.com/EdutelGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/edutel-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/edutelgroup

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Edutel Holdings