Ghost Stories

We all need somewhere to live, but that doesn't mean that buying property should be the default decision. Most of all, it doesn't mean that buying any property at any price is sensible. Data-led decision making is crucial when buying a home, especially in South Africa where house prices don't automatically go up.

Hayley Ivins-Downes and the team at Lightstone Property are passionate about helping South Africans apply more science to the emotiv decision of buying a home. With incredible data on property across the country, Lightstone makes it easier to avoid turning a dream home into a nightmare.

On this podcast, Hayley unpacked topics like:

Property is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. If you do the research before you buy stocks, you should certainly do it before you buy property. You can learn more about Lightstone here.

AI has dominated the headlines this year and is the cause of seemingly bottomless investment in markets like the US. This is technology theatre at its finest, accompanied by flashy presentations and even flashier share prices at the world's biggest tech companies.

But what impact is it actually having on the corporates on the ground who are the eventual users of the service?

To unpack where AI works (and doesn't) in the real world, Shane Cooper (Head of Digital Advisory at Forvis Mazars in South Africa) joined me for a frank discussion. We covered a number of topics including:

Buckle up. This is a powerful discussion about probably the most important business topic in the world today. You can connect with Shane on LinkedIn here.

Steve Porter gets out of bed every day to make sure that the clients of Metrofile Cloud can keep their businesses running when disaster strikes. In a world of public cloud offerings with all the bells and whistles, Metrofile Cloud's private cloud business takes a no-nonsense approach to delivering cloud services to South African businesses of all sizes - and with a real person on the other end of the phone when you need help.

In this episode of Ghost Stories, Steve's candid approach comes through strongly in these discussion points:

Steve isn't for everyone. Metrofile Cloud isn't for everyone. But if it resonates with you, then this might be the most important podcast you listen to for your business this year. Find out more about Metrofile Cloud here and connect with Steve on LinkedIn here.

We know that global equities have outperformed global bonds and money market investments over the long term, but this comes with the risk of higher volatility. The current investment climate has also called into question the traditional 60/40 approach to a balanced portfolio, with problematic correlation for investors.

With a track record in structured products spanning 23 years, Investec has seen practically every type of market cycle play out. As a response to relative global equity valuations across multiple regions, Investec (in its capacity as investment advisor and promoter) brings you Advanced Investment Holdings.

This is a Guernsey-based structure that holds a portfolio of the S&P 500, Euro Stoxx 50, Nikkei 225 and FTSE 100 indices. Over a term of five years and one month, the investment offers full downside protection (100% capital preservation at maturity in USD) and will multiply the upside by 125% (to a maximum return of 50%).

Japie Lubbe brings his extensive experience to this discussion, explaining exactly why Investec has taken this approach to structured equity exposure in the current environment. He also explains the nuts and bolts of the structured product and exactly how the returns and risks work. 

Applications close on 28 November 2025. As always, it is recommended that you discuss any such investment with your financial advisor.

You can find all the information you need on the Investec website at this link.

Disclaimer

The digital generation has access to more information and tools than ever before. But the more things change, the more they stay the same: one of the most powerful tools of all remains the benefit of starting young and entrenching the right money habits from as early as possible in your life.

And yes, this includes investing on behalf of your children!

In this episode of Ghost Stories, Lauren Jacobs (Senior Portfolio Manager at Satrix) joined me for a candid discussion about her approach to entrenching the right financial behaviours from early in her career and the journey of investing for her family.

We also talked about the value of learning by doing, which means testing out the market and banking the hard lessons sooner rather than later!

The concept of "time in the market" is one of the most powerful wealth creation strategies of them all. If you are looking for the inspiration to just start, or a refresher on why those tough-to-form habits are so worthwhile, then you'll love this discussion.

This podcast was first published here.

For more information, visit https://satrix.co.za/products

*Satrix is a division of Sanlam Investment Management.

Disclaimer:

Satrix Investments (Pty) Ltd & Satrix Managers (RF) (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider. The information does not constitute advice as contemplated in FAIS. Use or rely on this information at your own risk. While every effort has been made to ensure the reasonableness and accuracy of the information contained in this document (“the information”), the FSP’s, its shareholders, subsidiaries, clients, agents, officers and employees do not make any representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or suitability of the information and shall not be held responsible and disclaims all liability for any loss, liability and damage whatsoever suffered as a result of or which may be attributable, directly or indirectly, to any use of or reliance upon the information. Consult your financial advisor before making an investment decision. Tax Free Savings Accounts: Annual limit of R36000, lifetime limit of R500 000, 40% tax penalty applicable for contributions above the limit, per individual. 

STADIO Holdings is enjoying excellent support in the market for its strategy, evidenced by a strong share price performance in a year when the shine has come off many SA Inc. stocks.

This begs the question: how are they getting it right?

CEO Chris Vorster and CFO Ishak Kula joined me on this podcast to talk about not just the recent performance, but also the major growth drivers that underpin the medium-term targets. The discussion includes insights into:

My thanks to STADIO for valuing the Ghost Mail audience and recognising the importance of sharing this level of insight with the retail investor base.

Please note that this podcast is brought to you by STADIO Holdings. The goal is to give you further insights into the strategy and business model based on recent company announcements. I crafted the questions myself, without any influence from the business. Please note that as always, nothing new here is financial advice and you should not interpret this podcast as an endorsement of the company. Instead use it as part of your broader research process in your portfolio and be sure to refer to STADIO’s announcements and reports for more information.

Claude Hanan and Luke Jedeikin have quite the story to tell. For roughly 15 years, they've been at the forefront of eCommerce and omnichannel business development in South Africa. With brands like Superbalist and Bash under their belts, this duo made the journey from indie startup founders to corporate executives responsible for driving growth in groups like Takealot and The Foschini Group (TFG).

Within TFG, Claude and Luke are redefining how omnichannel retail works in South Africa. This strategy is a core growth engine at TFG and contributes to the group's moat in South Africa.

But what are the secrets of omnichannel retail and why is it so successful? What sets it apart from eCommerce? And what are the key ingredients that a retailer actually needs before they can take this step, proving that implementation is always much harder than having ideas?

Get ready for an omnichannel masterclass from two of the most respected names in retail in South Africa.

This podcast is brought to you by The Foschini Group and Bash and is for informational purposes only. Please treat it as just one part of your research into companies like The Foschini Group and remember that at all times, nothing included in this podcast should be taken as investment advice.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) offer diversified exposure through a single investment, just like buying a box of biscuits and getting to enjoy a variety of flavours inside. But if you don't know how to read a fact sheet or assess which ETFs you like, then there's no way of knowing what's in the box. We don't buy biscuits without the packaging making it clear what's inside. We shouldn't buy ETFs like that either!

To help bridge the gap and enhance your understanding of what to look for when selecting ETFs and reading fact sheets, Siyabulela Nomoyi (Quantitative Portfolio Manager at Satrix*) joined me on this podcast. It offers an excellent learning experience for both experienced and newer investors in ETFs.

This podcast was first published here.

For more information, visit https://satrix.co.za/products

*Satrix is a division of Sanlam Investment Management.

Disclaimer:

Satrix Investments (Pty) Ltd & Satrix Managers (RF) (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider. The information does not constitute advice as contemplated in FAIS. Use or rely on this information at your own risk. Consult your Financial Adviser before making an investment decision. While every effort has been made to ensure the reasonableness and accuracy of the information contained in this document (“the information”), the FSP’s, its shareholders, subsidiaries, clients, agents, officers and employees do not make any representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or suitability of the information and shall not be held responsible and disclaims all liability for any loss, liability and damage whatsoever suffered as a result of or which may be attributable, directly or indirectly, to any use of or reliance upon the information. For more information, visit https://satrix.co.za/products

China offers an exciting emerging markets opportunity, driven by the country's vast manufacturing base and the progress made in areas like artificial technology. But geopolitical risks and the volatility that plagues emerging markets is also present, making it more difficult for investors to add exposure to this market.

With the launch of two new structured products that reference the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 index, Investec has sculpted two payoff profiles that could appeal to investors of varying risk tolerances. With a combination of mechanisms that create capital protection and enhanced upside under certain outcomes, these products aim to take advantage of the opportunity in China, while reducing the overall risks.

Brian McMillan and James Cook of Investec joined me to talk through not just the appeal of China, but also the way in which the two products work. There's a wealth of information in this discussion on the Investec ZAR CSI 300 Digital Plus and the Investec USD CSI 300 Geared Growth products.

Applications close on 13 August, so you must move quickly if you are interested in investing. As always, it is recommended that you discuss any such investment with your financial advisor.

You can find all the information you need on the Investec website at this link.

Disclaimer

Martin Slabbert, co-founder of Prime Kapital, is someone that you've become familiar with thanks to the ongoing corporate finance activity around MAS Real Estate.

Prime Kapital has launched a voluntary bid to acquire all the shares in MAS, with the SENS announcement and circular having been distributed to shareholders. These documents can be complex to understand, so this podcast is aimed at explaining some of the key concepts of the deal and giving further insights into the recent noise in the market around MAS' relationship with Prime Kapital.

I was joined by both Martin Slabbert and Johan Holtzhausen, Chairman of PSG Capital, in his capacity as advisor to Prime Kapital. This podcast will be a useful resource to help you research and understand the transaction.

Important disclosure: Prime Kapital has paid a market-related fee for the production and placement of this podcast. The views shared by each of Martin Slabbert, Johan Holtzhausen and The Finance Ghost in this podcast reflect their opinions on the topics covered herein and should not be seen as financial advice. As noted in the podcast, The Finance Ghost currently holds a position in Hyprop, although Hyprop's offer for MAS has been withdrawn. The Finance Ghost has no position in MAS. As always, do your own research in forming a view on this transaction.