JSE Investment Challenge aims to educate 100,000 future investors annually – Ralph Speirs
After drawing more than 65,000 pupils and students last year, the JSE Investment Challenge has set its sights on 100,000 as it looks to build a new generation that’s money and investment savvy. In an interview with BizNews, senior JSE CSI officer Ralph Speirs said the impact is clear, with the challenge opening young people’s eyes to how they can grow their money over time, and to career opportunities they may never have considered. He says it attracts learners from very different backgrounds, from city schools to rural areas where these conversations often don’t happen at home. The 2026 challenge kicks off on 16 March, with registration open until June. – Linda van Tilburg
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Edited transcript of the interview
Linda van Tilburg 00:00
Registrations have opened for the JSE Investment Challenge, a national youth investing competition aimed at making financial literacy accessible for young South Africans, while Ralph Speirs is the senior CSI officer at the JSE. And he’s with us in the studio to tell us what’s in store this year. Hi, Ralph, nice to meet you.
Ralph Speirs 00:13
Hi, Linda. Lovely to meet you, too.
Linda van Tilburg 00:16
Before we discuss the goals for this year, I’d just like to begin by asking: the challenge has influenced the financial skills of thousands of students involved. I’ve interviewed some who told me that they didn’t even know some of these things existed, and now they’re keenly watching it, especially now with the oil price. What insights have you gathered from hosting this challenge?
Ralph Speirs 00:40
It’s been fascinating to see different folks from different backgrounds getting involved in the challenge. I can see a real impact in how it opens their eyes to how they can, over time, grow their money. We’ve got schools from rural areas where they don’t have those conversations with family members, and then you’ve got those in the cities where parents work for listed companies. There are vastly different backgrounds, but the common theme across all of them is the excitement about how they can grow wealth over time. Learning this has been really exciting for a lot of the learners and very eyeopening.
Linda van Tilburg 01:28
So have you found that it’s changed their ideas of what a career would look like?
Ralph Speirs 01:34
Most certainly. It’s definitely opening their eyes. I’ve dealt with a couple of schools today that came to visit the JSE, and one of the questions was what they could do in the career field. There are so many opportunities for them now. They’re seeing that they can work for a financial institution and what they need to study. Beforehand, I don’t think that was even a career option for them, not before they started playing the competition. I’m excited to see that we are making that impact.
Linda van Tilburg 02:18
South Africa’s inequality means exposure to investing is uneven. How are you reaching schools and communities where financial education is almost nonexistent?
Ralph Speirs 02:30
We’ve got a mentorship programme where we work with universities around the country and within their communities. We get them to mentor the schools around them. We also work with unemployed graduates, training them up so they can go and help disadvantaged schools or those in outlying areas. We try our best to make sure that we reach those schools, and this mentorship programme is making a big difference in getting them on board.
Linda van Tilburg 03:12
And this year, what’s in store? I think last year there were about sixtysix thousand entrants.
Ralph Speirs 03:19
We want to get every school in the country involved. Sixtysix thousand was last year, but we definitely want to beat that. Registrations are currently taking place, and we’re seeing great uptake. The final numbers will only be confirmed once the registration process is complete, but we’re certainly hoping to get a lot more than sixtysix thousand this year.
Linda van Tilburg 03:50
I see you’re undertaking a national roadshow. Is that still ongoing?
Ralph Speirs 03:55
That is definitely ongoing. This week we were at the University of Stellenbosch. Next week we’re going to Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, to Rhodes University, where we’ll train students who will then go out and reach schools in that area. We’re moving across different provinces, trying to get as many universities and schools on board as possible.
Linda van Tilburg 04:34
When does the challenge start, and what is the entry deadline for schools that still want to participate?
Ralph Speirs 04:40
The competition officially starts next week, on the sixteenth of March, but that doesn’t stop schools from getting involved. Registration will remain open until around June. We monitor the numbers and then make a call, which will be publicised. For now, it’s open, and we encourage schools and teachers to register sooner rather than later. With the current economic climate, including wars and market volatility, certain sectors have taken a beating. That presents an opportunity to buy companies at lower prices at the start of the competition. It depends on how learners view the coming weeks and months. That’s the excitement of the competition. Learners register in teams of four and do their homework to decide whether to buy or sit on the sidelines.
Linda van Tilburg 06:15
Is there awareness of how political events can influence the stock exchange, geopolitically with oil or locally in South Africa?
Ralph Speirs 06:28
Those are certainly things that students need to take cognisance of. We run online sessions to make them aware of what to look out for. At the end of the day, it’s up to the teachers and learners. Their strategy and philosophy on selecting shares is their decision. We want them to do as much research as possible, see what’s happening, and then make a call. That’s part of the learning process, and it’s exciting to see the results of those decisions.
Linda van Tilburg 07:17
How do you respond when someone says, “Stock exchange? I can barely afford a cup of coffee”?
Ralph Speirs 07:24
The competition registration fee of one hundred rand is waived, so learning about the stock exchange is free. The barrier to entry for real investing has come down significantly. There are platforms that allow people to invest small amounts. It shouldn’t be seen as just for the elite. Starting small allows you to make mistakes with smaller amounts and learn over time. Waiting for a big lump sum isn’t necessarily the right time to start. Rather start learning now and use this competition as an opportunity to build those skills.
Linda van Tilburg 08:45
Do you think this challenge will keep growing?
Ralph Speirs 08:50
I certainly hope so. Over the years I’ve been involved, the uptake has continued to grow. The Department of Education is getting on board, and we’re trying to reach every school in every corner of the country. That onehundredthousand mark is a big target for us. Our goal is for every young South African to understand financial literacy and how to grow their money over time.
Linda van Tilburg 09:45
You’re offering quite a carrot, an overseas trip to an international stock exchange. Does that help?
Ralph Speirs 09:51
That’s for the university competition. We run a schools’ competition, a university competition, and one for the general public. In the university competition, the top team wins thirty thousand rand and an allexpensespaid trip to an international stock exchange. Last year students went to the New York Stock Exchange, and this year they’re travelling to Amsterdam. Each year it’s a different destination and a great experience.
Linda van Tilburg 10:37
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Ralph Speirs 10:39
I’d like to encourage teachers, lecturers, students, and learners to take up this opportunity. Unless you try, you’ll never know how well you can do. Regardless of whether you become a doctor, lawyer, or scientist, financial skills will stand you in good stead. Learning how the stock market works at a young age puts you in a strong position to grow your wealth later in life. Get started now. You’ve got nothing to lose.