From Muffins to Millions: South Africa’s youngest millionaire Sandile Shezi

We have known for years about the different resources Africa as to offer. Now we are able to witness the people pave the way for innovation in technology and business. Many young people are starting to make names for themselves by investing in the market.

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South Africa, in particular, is starting to become more well known to the rest of the world. No, not for surfing, or their participation in the Rugby World Cup, but for the new crop of entrepreneurs that are emerging. Sandile Shezi is one of those people. At 23-years-old, Shezi is the country’s youngest self-made millionaire. As of 2016, Shezi’s net worth is estimated to be around $2.3 million. By day trading in the forex, or foreign exchange, market Shezi was able to earn his title.




Shezi’s net worth is directly connected to his love for muffins.

His story is fairly reminiscent of countless entrepreneurs. He began his journey as an entrepreneur at the age of 12 when he started selling. Throughout high school, Shezi would sell muffins and clothes door-to-door in his neighborhood. To bankroll his muffin business Shezi would use his tuition money. After a few years of selling muffins, Shezi learned about forex trading.

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Basically, the forex market is where people go to trade currencies. In comparison to the stock market, the forex market is like the ocean and the stock market is a continent. In fact, in 2012 the Bank of International Settlements reported that the forex traded almost $4.9 trillion a day. That same year the BIS reported the stock market only traded $2,000 billion a day.

While Shezi was attending the Durban University of Technology he taught himself the basics of forex trading. After figuring out how the forex market worked Shezi decided to drop out of school to pursue day trading full-time. Using tuition for his upcoming school year Shezi began trading in the forex market. Dropping out was a very risky decision, but it helped increase Shezi’s net worth tremendously. Eventually, he did go back to school to earn his national diploma from DUT When you have, a gift is better to share it with the world.

While Shezi’s net worth is definitely something to brag about it is his generosity that wins most people over. After becoming the youngest millionaire in South Africa, Shezi decided to help other people achieve their financial freedom. Joining fellow forex investor, George van der Riet, Shezi opened the Global Forex Institute.

The school operates out of Umhlanga, Sandton and Durban. Shezi, with the help of van der Riet, aims to give people the best forex training allowing them to become successful. For investors that cannot make it to the school in person, the school website has webinars and literature that will help with their training. Shezi also gives free training to people that need it. It is his goal to not only help people achieve their financial goals but to revitalize the job market in South Africa. Here is a recent interview of Shezi in which he shares his perspective.

When he is not working at the school of trading Shezi is telling his story in multiple speaking arrangements he has around the country. His story may not match everyone else’s, but it does show that with enough grit, determination and a little risk taking you can be just as successful.