Young South Africans school the market — JSE Investment Challenge April winners announced

With four risk-flavoured categories to choose from – income, equity, speculator and ETF/ETN (exchange traded notes/exchange traded funds) – each month brings new winners, while the race for the annual crown keeps everyone on their toes. It’s the ultimate financial boot camp, minus the push-ups, but with plenty of number crunching.

Read more: Market masters: JSE Investment Challenge sees record participation as Eden College and UWC excel

From rural roots to repeat victories

Mpumelelo Secondary School, renowned for sweeping all five top positions in the schools’ income category last year and repeated victories over the past several years, has once again proven its mettle in 2025. For the month of April, the Mpumelelo team, The Brave Ones, secured first place in the income category with an impressive portfolio growth of R10,139.73.

Grade 11 learner, Mthombeni Nokubonga Naomi expressed her excitement: “I felt ecstatic after winning, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of my mentors.”

The journey was far from easy. The team faced numerous challenges, including coordinating meeting times and locations. “Sometimes it was difficult to decide where to gather,” Naomi said.

However, the biggest obstacle was limited internet access and data shortages.

“We supported each other by sharing devices, and Mr Mtsweni, our teacher, helped by providing devices and assisting us with logging into the JSE platform,” she added.

When selecting shares, the team adopted a careful strategy.

“We first checked the news – whether company-specific or external factors – and analysed charts of different companies to evaluate their growth potential,” explained Mfundo Mahlangu, a Grade nine learner from The Brave Ones.

Equity experts in action

Grey College’s team, the profit predators, clinched the top spot in the equity category with a 3.92% gain. Their strategy – a laser focus on mining and banking sector companies, backed by diligent research and a few helpful hints from The Money Show with Stephen Grootes. “Luckily, the market turned in our favour and we managed a good gain in profits,” the team said. Sometimes, fortune really does favour the bold and well-prepared.

Grey College’s Profit Predators team. From left, JG Horn, Juan Nieuwenhuizen and Pieter Maasdorp. Absent: Erich Knauff. (Photo: Supplied)

Speculating for success

In the university speculator category, the UP Capital team from the University of Pretoria – Brett Thomson and Joshua McKay – secured victory with a portfolio growth of 12.65%. Thomson, already a veteran of the challenge, credited his win to careful risk management and a flexible strategy. The same team (plus one extra team member) won the overall ETF/ETN category in the JSE Investment Challenge 2024, walking away with R30,000.

Read more: The JSE Investment Challenge is back again

“With all the risk in the market, it has been important to be both long and short to outperform the market. What I learnt is how to position the size of different sectors of the market according to current market risk,” Thomson explained.

Ready to test your investment savvy? Registrations are still open until September at schools.jse.co.za for schools and university.jse.co.za for universities.

Keep in mind, applying late means you’ll be eligible only for the September monthly results – not the annual finals – so it pays to sign up early and get a head start on the competition. The next champion could be you. DM