A new article awards Moneybags Bull as the top of the pops, in the top 100 list of South Africa’s wealthiest entrepeneurs by Sun sign. Are you surprised? Yet no matter how much they have, they’re incredibly insecure, and that insecurity motivates them to amass even more treasure. Cancer and Scorpio follow the trail of success – for their creativity and persistence.

But all signs can have their day in the Sun.

Leo makes a great leader, and loves being worshipped. Both Leo and Sagittarius go all out, and in a big way. But Sag gives all their money away, even the money they don’t yet have.

Making it to the top is written in the stars

It seems that one’s ability to make a fortune could well depend on how bullish you are.

Lakshmi Mittal is the wealthiest man on the Sunday Times Rich List 2007, but when it comes to looking at South Africa’s wealthiest by astrological signs, he’s in the minority.

Mittal was born on September 12 1950, which makes him a Virgo — one of just four in the top 100.

That’s not terribly surprising; Virgo is the sign associated with service, not material possessions.

If you had to pick the star sign that is traditionally associated with money, it’s Taurus, the bull, whose motto is: “I have”.

And there are 13 Taureans among the 100 wealthiest in our country — considerably more than the average.

If the star signs were to be equally distributed, there should be an average of around eight of each sign in our top 100 list — if one excludes families and consortiums.

Taurus is the first earth sign of the zodiac, and besides naturally having green fingers, Taureans supposedly also have the knack of making money grow — which certainly seems the case according to this list.

However, the distribution of star signs doesn’t seem to be peculiar to this list. The UK Sunday Times Rich List publishes the star signs of many of the 1000 wealthiest Britons and Taurus, along with quick-thinking Geminis and hard-working Capricorns, is persistently at the top of the list.

On our list, the next biggest categories are the water signs of Cancer and Scorpio — thanks, possibly, to their creativity and sheer determination, respectively.

Unfortunately, dreamy Pisces is right at the bottom of the list, as it often is in the UK version.

The most driven star signs when it comes to money are Taurus, Aries and Capricorn, though in slightly different ways.

Astrologer and author Rod Suskin says Taureans are not as ambitious as the other two, but they are driven by the need to feel safe.

“They often aren’t wealthy because they stop driving themselves when they feel safe,” said Suskin.

Taureans, he added, are also the biggest sloggers, plodding along until they get where they want or need to.

The reason Taureans succeed is that they use money as security. “Perhaps the lesson is you need to find your own kind of security and find your own wealth, even if it isn’t financial.”

Though there are more Taureans than any other sign in the top 100, they are nowhere to be found in the top 10. Adrian Gore, the founder of Discovery, is the top Taurean — in 19th position.

Spiritual satisfaction is high on the list for Pisces, and may explain why there are less Pisceans on the Rich List than any other sign. They are also the biggest “loafers”, said Suskin, in that they are prepared to go with the flow and would prefer someone else to lead the way and to push. They are also the most compliant.

Suskin said Leos do well because they’re good at knowing what’s best for everyone and so have great leadership skills. Librans do well when they learn that their secret to success is being decisive.

Suskin said Capricorn s are surprising because usually they are successful, but only when self-employed. They also take on too much responsibility, which can inhibit personal success.

Geminis avoid doing anything boring. They just want excitement and would rather involve themselves in new opportunities and experiences than stick out initiatives that might make them more money.

Taureans, Ariens and Capricornians may be leaders when it comes to money, but does this make them good partners? Are they loving and generous and willing to share their wealth?

The most generous signs are Sagittarius, Cancer and Pisces, says Suskin. Capricornians can be generous, but often more so once they are the parent or the controller — they will give as long as they decide what to do with the money.

“In astrology, wealth and generosity don’t belong together unless it’s with Sagittarius,” said Suskin.

Sagittarians may want to give their money to someone else to manage as they have a tendency to want to spend what they have or even what they haven’t got.

Sagittarius is the sign that is likely to do everything in a big way — buy the beach house as well as that diamond ring. Leos are also likely to do things big — with style and grandeur and enjoying being worshipped in the process.

Taurus is the sign that loves luxury and beautiful things. “They do love wealth. They’re not materialists but they like to feel safe,” said Suskin.

“The interesting thing about Taureans at the top is that they seldom feel safe. Often they feel useless and insecure.

“Each of us has basic needs and drives. If Taureans’ basic need is security, then their basic drive is insecurity.

“I always tell Taureans when they say they’re insecure to pat themselves on the back and applaud themselves — that’s your drive. It’s a helpful and constructive way to look at it.”

Virgo is the most conscientious and precise, but Suskin said that of all the signs it’s the one you expect not to be in the rich list.

“They’re not motivated. Virgo want to do things for other people. And Pisces’ interests are so far from the material world — they’re spiritual and emotional.”

When it comes to analysing the rich by their Chinese signs, which are taken by year of birth, rather than which month of the year you are born in, the clear winners are the signs associated with work and luck.

Top of the list is the Ox, the symbol of prosperity that is achieved through hard work. According to www.paranormality.com, those born under the sign of the Ox are obstinate, “have logical minds and will not be easily frightened”. Ideal qualities for business-builders.

Roosters follow next: this is the sign that always lands on its feet, whatever the situation. Paranormality.com has this to say: “… they are excellent with money and are great purists to the degree that they will not allow for human weaknesses”.

However, the Horse came dead last in our survey. Horses have “a tendency to make rash choices and … think nothing of making a snap decision”, says the website.

All good if you make the correct decision, but possibly fatal to business if unbridled.