Saltzman family, one of South Africa’s richest, loses $43.95 million from Dis-Chem stake

Key Points

• The Saltzman family's stake in Dis-Chem Pharmacies has dropped by nearly $44 million in under three weeks due to a decline in share price.
• Dis-Chem's market value has fallen below $1.3 billion after a 10.59% drop in shares, impacting major shareholders like the Saltzman family.
• The Saltzman family’s 29.3% stake has slipped from $414.84 million to $370.89 million amid Dis-Chem's ongoing stock slump in 2025.

The Saltzman family, one of South Africa’s richest, has taken a significant financial hit as the value of their stake in Dis-Chem Pharmacies dropped by nearly $44 million in just under three weeks. The decline follows a continued slide in the company’s share price on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Family's wealth drops amid stock slump

The family holds a 29.3-percent stake in the Gauteng-based pharmacy and retail group—amounting to 252,066,319 shares. In the past 19 days alone, the market value of that stake has fallen by R839.38 million (about $43.95 million), according to data tracked by Billionaires.Africa. That brings the market value of their holding down to roughly $370 million.

This latest loss adds to an earlier blow between Feb. 7 and Mar. 10, when the value of their stake dropped from R8.65 billion ($473.47 million) to R7.82 billion ($428.09 million)—a decline of $45.37 million. The ongoing slide in Dis-Chem’s stock reflects growing unease among investors about the company’s performance and prospects in an increasingly tough economic climate.

Dis-Chem shares down 10.59%, market cap drops below $1.3 billion

Dis-Chem Pharmacies,  a household name in South Africa’s retail healthcare space, has come a long way since Lynette and Ivan Saltzman opened their first store more than 40 years ago. Today, the company runs a network of dispensaries, family clinics, wound care centers, and over-the-counter medication hubs across the country.

But the past few weeks have been tough on the pharmacy giant. Over the last 19 days, Dis-Chem’s shares have dropped by 10.59 percent on the JSE, falling from R31.43 ($1.65) on March 17 to R28.10 ($1.47) at the time of writing. That slide has knocked the company’s market value below $1.3 billion—erasing significant value for its shareholders, including the Saltzman family.

Saltzman family sees nearly $44 million wiped out

With the share price tumbling, the Saltzmans—who still own nearly 30 percent of the business—have taken a sizable hit. The value of their 29.3-percent stake has shrunk by R839.38 million ($43.95 million) in just under three weeks, down from R7.92 billion ($414.84 million) to R7.08 billion ($370.89 million).

Even so, the family remains among the wealthiest investor groups on the JSE and continues to play a major role in South Africa’s healthcare and retail pharmacy landscape.

Your money and your life

It’s been a rough year so far for Dis-Chem investors. Since the start of 2025, the stock has lost 22.16 percent of its value. That’s a sharp drop by any standard—and a reflection of wider headwinds facing the pharmacy and healthcare retail sector. A $100,000 investment in Dis-Chem at the beginning of the year would now be worth around $77,840—a loss of $22,160.