When Sthembiso Maseko first came across the JSE Investment Challenge, it was not the promise of prizes that drew him in, it was the promise of perspective. For him, the Challenge represented a rare opportunity to step beyond the lecture hall and into the living, breathing world of the financial markets. So, alongside his teammate Wongeka Mbongwa, the two first-year accountancy students from the University of Zululand formed RB-BLACK, a team driven by curiosity, ambition, and a desire to decode the complexities of South Africa’s financial engine.
Just a few weeks later, RB-BLACK has emerged as the May winners of the JSE Investment Challenge, a game that cultivates financial literacy and investment knowledge among high school learners and university students. Each month, teams from across the country simulate trading on the JSE, applying real-world strategies in a risk-free environment that mirrors the dynamics of the financial markets.
Beyond this, however, the Challenge is a platform for transformation. It equips young people with critical financial skills, encourages analytical thinking, and fosters a deeper understanding of economic systems. Through teamwork, strategy, and decision-making under pressure, students gain insights that extend far beyond the classroom preparing them not just to participate in the economy, but to shape it.
“I joined the Challenge to gain hands-on experience in investing and portfolio management,” Sthembiso explains. “I wanted to understand how the South African markets work and develop a strategy that could actually perform.”
That strategy, it turns out, was rooted in discipline and insight. RB-Black leaned into both technical and fundamental analysis, learning to read market signals and evaluate company performance with precision. But it was not just numbers that led them to victory, it was teamwork.
“Working together taught me how to communicate effectively and solve problems collaboratively,” Sthembiso reflects. “We learned to respect different viewpoints and make decisions that balanced risk with opportunity.”
As RB-Black celebrates their well-earned success, the JSE applauds their achievement and the thousands of students across the country who are embracing the Challenge with passion and purpose. The future of South Africa’s financial landscape is being shaped in classrooms and lecture halls today, and it’s looking brighter than ever.
The May category winners are:
Schools Income Portfolio: BBM THE SHINNING STARS from Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga
Schools Equity Portfolio: The Fixers from Lethukuthula Secondary School, Gauteng
Schools Spectacular Portfolio: KHL – Dividend Dynamos from AFRIKAANSE HOëR SEUNSKOOL, Gauteng
Schools EFT/ETN Portfolio: FSD – The Digital Divas from Masiphumelele High School, Western Cape
University Spectacular Portfolio: ABS5-Pierpoint & Ho from University of Cape Town, Western Cape
University EFT/ETN Portfolio: RB-BLACK from University of Zululand, KwaZulu Natal
Registration is still open, and Interested schools and tertiary institutions can still participate in the challenge registering electronically at schools.jse.co.za and university.jse.co.za. To stay updated, follow the competition’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.