UWC students take home R25 000 in JSE Challenge

Two students from the University of the Western Cape took first place in their category at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) University Investment Challenge.

Investment X team, made up of UWC students Sisonke Mfeketho, 23, and Diteboho Shabalala, 20, won in the university speculator portfolio category and took home a R25 000 prize.

This category is a simulated trading competition for university students where teams with a virtual R1 million can trade shares and warrants with specific restrictions on the top 40 companies. 

The goal is to grow the portfolio value the most through profitable buying and selling, with the highest growth winning the category. The portfolio allows for short-term trading strategies, but winning teams have demonstrated success by focusing on specific investment types, like single stock futures.

Mr Mfeketho is a third-year BCom Financial Accounting student, and Ms Shabalala is a third-year Bachelor of Laws student.

“We both came up with ideas on which stocks to buy, while coming up with strategies to invest mainly in the mining sector. It was teamwork that got us to where we are. The experience was actually nice as I had the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge I have gained over the years,” said Mr Mfeketho.

Ms Shabalala said she joined the competition to test her financial skills and to see if she can fit in the financial sector.

“It was exciting and amazing. The strategy and timing were the most important things, and we had to adapt fast to changes as the market was unpredictable. I learnt more about how the market works and how small decisions can make a big difference,” she said.

The team ABS5-Pierpoint & Ho from the University of Cape Town secured second place, while team Bullish from Stellenbosch University achieved third place in this category.

The JSE said university and college participation included 7 700 students across 3 094 teams from 110 institutions, while 859 schools fielded roughly 17 850 teams during the competition period, which took place from Monday, March 17 to Friday, September 19.

Vuyo Lee, the director for marketing and corporate affairs at the JSE, said: "The 2025 edition of the Investment Challenge has achieved considerable milestones in promoting financial literacy among South African pupils and students. 

“With over 66,000 participants, the programme's national reach reflects our commitment to building financial literacy from the ground up. By providing a risk-free environment for learning, we are cultivating tomorrow's informed investors and financial leaders."