JSE Deploys Podcast Series to Democratise Investment Access and Financial Literacy
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange has launched a multi-episode podcast initiative targeting retail investors, SME owners, and community savings groups, addressing gaps in financial education and capital access across South Africa's investment landscape.
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The Johannesburg Stock Exchange has expanded its investor education mandate through a dedicated podcast series covering critical gaps in South Africa's financial ecosystem, from SME capital raising to traditional stokvel investment strategies, according to content published across the exchange's digital platforms between June 2025 and December 2025.
The JSE Investor Avenue podcast series comprises at least 14 episodes addressing distinct segments of South Africa's investment community, including entrepreneurs seeking growth capital, families building intergenerational wealth, and community savings groups exploring formal investment channels. The initiative represents a strategic pivot toward digital financial education as traditional investor engagement methods face accessibility constraints.
Private Placements Platform Targets SME Capital Gap
Episode 9 of the series, published 4 June 2025, featured Samuel Mokorosi, Head of Origination and Deals at the JSE, and Preshan Govinder from JPP, detailing the exchange's Private Placements platform. The online system connects unlisted businesses requiring expansion capital with accredited investors, addressing a persistent funding bottleneck for mid-sized South African enterprises.
"JSE Private Placements—an innovative online platform that bridges the gap between investors and unlisted businesses primed for expansion," according to the episode description published by the JSE. The platform operates alongside the exchange's Enterprise Acceleration Programme, launched August 2021, which provides advisory services, educational resources, and network access to private companies preparing for institutional funding rounds.
The Enterprise Acceleration Programme targets small and medium enterprises through "an ecosystem of advisors, educational enablers and networks that ultimately will enable SME's to attract the right level of funding," per JSE documentation. South Africa's SME sector contributes approximately 34% to GDP but faces chronic undercapitalisation, with traditional bank lending remaining constrained by risk aversion following elevated non-performing loan ratios in the post-pandemic environment.
Stokvel Formalisation Addresses R50 Billion Informal Savings Pool
Episode 10, released 14 July 2025, examined stokvels—South Africa's traditional rotating savings and credit associations—through interviews with Tawanda Rumhuma, Executive Head of Savings and Investments at Absa, alongside Jan Riches founders Luyanda Shosha and Ntokozo Maphumulo. The National Stokvel Association of South Africa estimates the sector holds approximately R50 billion in collective savings, representing significant informal capital outside formal investment markets.
"Since their inception, this form of collective savings has evolved significantly, accumulating millions in savings for their members," the JSE stated in episode materials. The podcast explored mechanisms for channelling stokvel capital into regulated investment products including unit trusts, exchange-traded funds, and money market instruments, potentially expanding retail participation in equity and fixed-income markets.
Absa reported 800,000 stokvel accounts across its banking network as of March 2025, with average balances ranging from R15,000 to R85,000 depending on membership size and savings cycles. Formalising stokvel investment strategies could increase transparency, provide FSCA regulatory protection, and generate superior risk-adjusted returns compared to cash holdings subject to inflation erosion.
Financial Literacy Focus Addresses Investment Participation Gap
Episode 12, published 10 October 2025, featured Simon Brown, founder of investment education platform Just One Lap, discussing foundational investment concepts with host Gugulethu Mfuphi. The episode emphasised compound growth mechanics, asset allocation principles, and tax-efficient investment structures including tax-free savings accounts and retirement annuities.
"Financial literacy is key to building a strong investment portfolio for your future," according to the episode description. South Africa's household savings rate declined to 0.8% of disposable income in Q2 2025, down from 1.2% in Q2 2024, per South African Reserve Bank data, reflecting constrained household balance sheets amid elevated living costs and subdued real wage growth.
Episode 14, released 10 December 2025, addressed intergenerational wealth transfer through family financial planning discussions. Financial expert Mapalo Makhu provided frameworks for "building generational wealth through effective family money discussions," covering estate planning, investment education for children, and collaborative household budgeting strategies.
The JSE's digital education initiative aligns with broader exchange strategy to deepen retail investor participation following concentrated institutional ownership across listed equities. Individual South African investors hold approximately 12% of JSE market capitalisation, compared to 18% in 2015, with pension funds and foreign investors dominating equity ownership structures.
The podcast series supplements the exchange's existing investor education infrastructure including webinars, online courses, and regional workshops. As South African households navigate elevated inflation, interest rate volatility, and currency depreciation, accessible financial education may prove critical to expanding domestic capital formation and reducing reliance on offshore investment flows.