Bheki Mkhize

If someone came to you tomorrow with R100m to invest in just one company, which would it be?

Alibaba. It’s the Amazon of China and continues to grow at more than 50%/year — and it’s cheaper than Amazon and way more profitable. On Singles Day last November the company did sales of Us$25bn.

Which talent would you most like to have?

The ability to read people’s minds.

If you could turn back time, what would you change in your life?

I would travel a bit more and probably live in a few different countries before settling down.

What was your best investment?

Paying lobola and marrying my wife. As Warren Buffett says, it’s the most important decision you’ll ever make.

If you found a lottery ticket that had won $100m, what would you do with it?

I’d look to invest in initiatives that will assist in reducing inequality and poverty in our country, particularly those focused on early childhood development.

On which occasions do you lie?

Occasionally to convince my daughter to go to sleep, otherwise there’s no need.

Do you own bitcoin? And why?

No. I always prefer to understand where value is derived from, and that’s a bit difficult with bitcoin.

How much was your first pay cheque, and what did you do with it?

I had to pay a deposit and rent for an apartment.

Name a place you’ve been to that lived up to the hype.

Barcelona.

What was your most recent purchase?

Flight tickets.

What’s the worst investment you’ve made?

Buying into some oil counters 10 years ago on the back of Goldman Sachs predicting that the oil price would hit $200/barrel.

What was your first job?

I worked as a trainee doing accounting articles.