The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Investment Challenge recently held its first virtual awards ceremony. The six-month-long CSI initiative enables learners and students to understand the fundamentals of investing by trading JSE-listed shares on a virtual trading platform. Each school and university team is given a virtual amount of R1 million to invest on a simulated trading platform that mimics the live stock market, but without any real risks.
“This year’s participants and winners can be proud of themselves. A big well done to them and the teachers, lectures, mentors and parents who supported them as they continued to excel despite experiencing disruptions and uncertainties brought on by the pandemic,” said Idris Seedat, head of transformation and CSI at the JSE.
The winners of the schools game walk away with prizes to the value of R180,000 while the winners of the universities game win prizes valued at R60,000 and a trip to an international stock exchange.
Need for agility
“The pandemic made it necessary for us to be agile,” said Seedat. “The impact of Covid-19 required us to be innovative and find ways to work with the participants and mentors on virtual platforms. Social media platforms, which are easily accessible, such as Facebook and WhatsApp, enabled us to reach all of the learners and students.”
Seedat adds that because of this, this year’s winners should hold their heads high, as this victory is far bigger than simply coming first place.
Winners of the 2020 Investment Challenge
The Schools Challenge
Income portfolio:
- First place: The Queens, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
- Second place: The Winnerss, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
- Third place: MP Stars, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
- Fourth place: MP Unstoppable Winners, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
- Fifth place: 2020 Winners, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
Equity portfolio:
- First place: CETT, The Settlers High, Western Cape
- Second place: SMIT_77, Hoërskool DR Malan, Gauteng
- Third place: The bizzar investors - ACCP, Acudeo College Crystal Park, Gauteng
- Fourth place: Ma'at – ACCP, Acudeo College Crystal Park, Gauteng
- Fifth place: Cash Crusaders, Lawson Brown High School, Eastern Cape
Speculator portfolio:
- First place: Prophets of Profit, Reddam House Durbanville, Western Cape
- Second place: Jasons Wealth, Orient Islamic School, Kwa-Zulu Natal
- Third place: Cleaver for President - ACCP, Acudeo College Crystal Park, Gauteng
- Fourth place: PBHS Jackboys, Pretoria Boys High School, Gauteng
- Fifth place: Black Labour - White Wealth - ACCP, Acudeo College Crystal Park, Gauteng
Winning teams in the University Speculator portfolio:
- First place: Piker, University of Cape Town
- Second place: Inkunzi Traders, UNISA - JHB
- Third place: US1_StellenboschBoys, University of Stellenbosch
“2020 has certainly not been an ordinary year the world over and to see the tenacity at which the participants played this year’s game, and their investment strategies during times of volatility gives us confidence that in these learners and students, South Africa has exceptional future leaders and investors,” said Seedat.
Seedat says going into the future, there are great lessons and instruments to be mined from this year’s challenge as we navigate the new normal.
