Hallo Byron
First things first. Don't even think about investing with interest-bearing funds, even at reduced rate.
Remember, you have to make up brokers fees, trustee fees, monthly admin fees and eventually tax before you will show profit on your investment, no need to add interest as well (big maybe, except for property). And you assume your investment will pay off, sometimes they don't, it makes sense not to start with a negative then. Yes?
Don't leave the day job, no seriously you need f-you-money first (
http://investorchallenge.co.za/f-you-money/ ) as Patrick has so eloquently put it. This is just as valid a point for full-time investing in whatever as for job hopping. And if you are thinking about dipping into your pension fund, don't – pension funds should be untouchable and does not exist until you retire.
Now for what you should do: You've already started, you're showing interest and you are investigating possibilities. Keep doing that and you'll eventually find your way, slow and easy – this takes time and calculated moves, don't rush.
You and your friends have interesting and much needed skill sets, why not come up with something on the side which incorporates all your skills, I don't know, a patent for some machine that uses alternative energy on farms which also assists with security. (That is, if the SAP means 'police' and not 'IT-related-SAP'), but you get the idea.
Good luck and don't stop.
I'll stop preaching now.
