money

Craig Gradidge and Kagisho Mahura have been working hard to change the narrative of investments in South Africa by improving financial literacy and making people’s money work for them.

 

Johannesburg, South Africa – From a very young age, both Craig Gradidge and Kagisho Mahura worked to earn and save money. Craig was always looking for opportunities to make money and started as a paper delivery boy, working his way up to becoming an usher at the “bioscope”. Young Kagisho followed suit and was frequently found “hustling” his wares in the stands at football matches.

Both young men had a fascination with business, and their drive for success led to a partnership that is changing the way people talk about wealth and investment in South Africa. Today, Craig and Kagisho head up hugely successful wealth management company, Gradidge-Mahura Investments.

Saving money in South Africa can be hard, and many don’t. Craig and Kagisho wanted to change this. They became inspired to do something different in the financial sector after seeing all the public BEE deals in 2007.

They both read a statistic which stated that the average financial advisor in South Africa was 52 years old, white, male and Afrikaans. But on the other hand, the market was being flooded with young emerging entrepreneurs who were professionals in their fields.

They needed to start changing the conversation. Their dream was to tell South Africans about investment deals and educate them on wealth creation in general. The difference for them, however, they would not go the traditional route of selling expensive products which paid them quickly, yet was no good for their clients. They specifically structured their business so that their clients were at its centre.

Kagisho Mahura and Craig Gradidge. Credit: Regency Global

Mattress banking is a big thing in South Africa, many have a mistrust of banks and instead, keep their money hidden at home where it incurs no interest and is at constant risk.

Gradidge-Mahura Investments are actively working towards changing the narrative around the notion that mattress banking is the best banking, and are passionate about improving financial literacy in the country. Did you know that South Africans spend 80% of their income on servicing or repaying the debt? This leaves little room for saving for the future or retirement.

Only 6% to 10% of South Africans retire comfortably, which is a statistic Gradidge-Mahura Investments are intently trying to improve.

Their goal is to build a financially strong generation, one fluent in financial literacy and capable of making the best decisions with their money. To do this, the company have been employing a collection of young people in the business, hoping to inspire a younger generation of South African investors.

One such success story is that of Masedi Molosiwa, director of Mr Concierge. As an upstart, he faced many uncertainties and risks. Through partnering with Gradidge-Mahura Investments, however, he no longer needs to fret about the future, as they are ensuring that he mitigates all the risks he is taking.

Another success story is Tebogo Kukama, co-founder of Moteko Construction Cost Consultants and Project Managers, concurs and appreciates the personal relationship they have built with the wealth management company, since starting their employee provident fund in 2008.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Gradidge-Mahura Investments has been in business for just over ten years, and have increased the amount of client money they manage from a mere R10 million in year one, to a currently staggering R950 million. Their clients range from cleaners to CEO’s.

Craig proudly regales the story of how he purchased shares for a security guard at their apartment building, and when they subsequently shot up in value, he earned more that month than he had in his entire life.

During their years of business, there is one thing they have learned to be more accurate than the rest… South Africans generally don’t care how black or white a business is; all they want at the end of the day is expertise, advice and good service.

Gradidge-Mahura Investments has a client base as diverse as the rainbow nation itself. A fact they are immensely proud of. They have built a South African business whose assets come from across the populations, age, and gender spectrum.

As part of the #SAINC nation-building initiative, Gradidge-Mahura is joining a network of purpose-driven brands to share stories of positive progress in South Africa. These stories are being featured across social media in small snippets, just like the one below, but you will also be able to watch the full-length features live on television. You will find the airing times below.

21 April 2019 – eTV Open News – 18:30
22 April 2019 – eTV Open News – 15:30
4 May 2019 – SABC 2 – 14:30
26 May 2019 – eTV – 12:00
2 June 2019 – eTV OpenNews – 18:30
3 June 2019 – eTV Open News – 15:30

Watch a snippet of the story below:

Good Things Guy has partnered with Regency Global and Official Brand South Africa to bring you stories of how corporates and individuals are helping build our incredible nation.This week we're taking a look at an incredible South African company that has invested in more local content than ever, creating jobs and inspiring future generations to explore film and television careers.It's people and organisations like this that help move us forward!#GoodThings
#NationBuilding
#SAINC

Posted by Good Things Guy on Monday, 15 April 2019


Sources: Regency Global
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens.
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast, with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

Facebook Comments

About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *