As the months passed, Thabo watched the market's "rhythm." He saw his portfolio dip when global oil prices spiked and rise when local companies reported strong dividends. He learned that while the share price might bounce around, the Total Shareholder Return (TSR) —which includes reinvested dividends—was where the real wealth was built.
: He discovered modern apps like EasyEquities and Standard Bank's Online Share Trading .
Thabo had always heard his colleagues talk about "the market," but it felt like a club he wasn't invited to. One morning, while scrolling through financial news on News24 Business , he saw that the JSE All Share index was experiencing its biggest slump since 2008 due to global tensions. While others were panicked, Thabo remembered an old saying: "Buy when there's blood in the streets." He realized he didn't need to be a millionaire to start; he just needed a plan. Step 1: Finding a Gateway buying shares on jse
: He typed in R500 , selected a Market Order to buy immediately at the best available price, and hit "Confirm." The Long Game
Thabo wasn't a "rich guy" yet, but he was no longer an outsider. He was a shareholder, owning a tiny piece of the South African economy, one trade at a time. As the months passed, Thabo watched the market's "rhythm
Before he could trade, Thabo had to go through the . It was simpler than he expected. Using his phone, he uploaded: A digital copy of his South African ID .
: He was thrilled to find that some platforms allowed fractional share investing , meaning he could buy R100 worth of a share even if the full share price was R1,000. Step 2: The FICA Hurdle Thabo had always heard his colleagues talk about
: Instead of picking one company, he bought a "basket" of the 40 largest companies on the exchange, giving him instant diversification.