Johannesburg, 23 April 2021 – Western Cape-based teams participating in the annual JSE Investment Challenge for learners and students came close to a whitewash after the first month of the competition, securing 75 percent of the prizes.
The primary aim of the JSE Investment Challenge is to broaden financial literacy and awareness about investment options. The Investment Challenge is the JSE’s flagship project for consumer education and part of its corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives. The competition enables learners and students to become aware of the fundamentals of investment strategy.
The Western Cape dominated this round of the competition with winners of three of the four categories coming from the province. The three Western Cape based teams include, ‘Accounting Queens’ from Gansbaai Academia who led in the Income Portfolio, ‘Spartan Capital’ from University of Stellenbosch led the University Speculator Portfolio and at school level, the honours went to a team from Paul Roos Gimnasium, team ‘Pure Wholesomnes’. Mpumalanga-based team, ‘MP Magic Traders’, from Mpumelelo Secondary School came up top in the Equity Portfolio.
Team ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ has thrown its name in the hat as one of the strong contenders for over-all winner of the 2021 JSE Investment Challenge. After taking a short break from the competition, team ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ made its return to the competition felt, winning the Speculator Portfolio at school level.
"This achievement was the culmination of a new strategy that focused on a deeper understanding of markets by ensuring that their research was a team effort and much more thorough," says Dricus Basson, the teacher leading team ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ from Paul Roos Gimnasium school in the Western Cape Province.
“This year, the members of team ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ were given specific research responsibilities. We came back and brainstormed as a team and a decision was taken on which share to purchase. This has proved to be a winning formula thus far,” says Basson.
Basson says while this is not the first time the school is taking part in the JSE Investment Challenge, following a short break from the competition, the return had to be “with a bang. “Following the win of the Speculator Portfolio, team ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ has raised the bar and are now aiming to win the overall top prize at the end of the competition in September,” continues Basson.
Team Pure Wholesomeness’s goal to win the over-all prize at the end of the competition is not such a far-fetched idea, some of the team members are already trading in real shares, demonstrating the seriousness with which they take the competition.
The win, however, is not entirely surprising when one examines the school’s competitive culture. The school takes every success as an opportunity to celebrate and motivate learners.
“We are very proud of our boys and we are going to do a song-and-dance about the win to motivate the entire student body in all their other endeavours,” says Basson. He says the school is going to “broadcast” the achievements of team ‘Pure Wholesomeness' on all their digital platforms for all to see.
Basson says, Paul Roos Gimnasium, a multicultural, dual-medium (English and Afrikaans) boys-only school, is an example of what can be achieved when people work together towards a common goal.
Ralph Speirs from the JSE’s CSI unit, says he hopes that ‘Pure Wholesomeness’ is back to stay. “In 2021, our goal is to increase the number of learners and students participating in the challenge and we are amplifying our efforts to recruit as many schools and tertiary institutions as possible to register,” says Speirs.
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To register for the competition, visit the JSE Investment Challenge website and to stay updated, follow the competition’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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