African women esports players will be in the spotlight as they take to the 2024 Mzansi Esports Champions at one of the continent’s premier gaming events, rAge Expo, from 30 November to 1 December 2024 in Johannesburg.
Organised by SAGES Africa (Services for Africa Gaming & Esports) the Mzansi Esports Champions is a highlight of the Tekken Africa Queens Challenge, agroundbreaking initiative supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS). This event aims to elevate female talent in esports, fostering inclusivity and empowerment in the gaming industry.
This year’s championship will feature eight players, each representing their countries in the battle for the $2,500 prize pool. The champion will walk away with $1,000. Among the participants is Sylvia Gathoni Wahome, better known as QueenArrow, a trailblazing esports figure and godmother of the Tekken Africa Queens Challenge.
Empowering women through esports and entrepreneurship
The Mzansi Esports Champions event will showcase the continent’s leading female esports talent from eight Southern African countries and foster broader discussions on female entrepreneurship within the gaming industry. The players are:
● Eswatini : Setsabile Shabangu “Sugar”
● Kenya : Sylvia Wahome “TheQueenArrow”
● Lesotho : Liteboho Thebe “EL”
● Madagascar : Safidy Andrianisoa “Sentaku”
● Malawi : Matimbe Gweyneth Edina “Gwyn Stacy”
● Namibia : Asante-Sana Maruwasa “ATMBYTES”
● South Africa : Zahraa Khan “Iron-Fist”
● Zambia : Bwalia Nkumbula “LiaRose”
Matches will follow a double-elimination format, with live streaming on Twitch and YouTube for audiences worldwide.
The Mzansi Esports Champions goes beyond competition, offering a platform for discussions on female entrepreneurship and empowerment in gaming. Business meetings taking place on 29 November, will connect African esports professionals, fostering collaboration and creating opportunities for women in the gaming industry. This is a unique opportunity for representatives of the African gaming and esports scene to exchange and share ideas, with a focus on developing entrepreneurship around a practice that is growing in importance around the world. Guests include esports organizations, gamers, including “Queen Arrow” and other expert stakeholders. This project is a collaboration of the French Institute of South Africa, SAGES and rAge expo. It is made possible thanks to funding from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Building a future for African esports
The Mzansi Esports Champions 2024 is part of a larger strategy by SAGES Africa to develop a robust esports ecosystem across the continent. Through strategic partnerships, SAGES Africa continues to empower African players and ensure their global competitiveness.
“We are determined to create an environment where African esports talent can thrive and compete at the global level. Through strategic partnerships like the one established with the Institut français, we are ensuring that Africa becomes an essential player in the global esports ecosystem,” said Désiré Koussawo, President of SAGES Africa.
“Esports has immense potential in Africa, offering a dynamic platform to showcase the region’s creativity and digital innovation. As the industry continues to grow, it also presents a vital opportunity to empower female players, creating a more inclusive and representative future in esports. We are proud to support this initiative, partnering with SAGES Africa to champion women in esports and to strengthen our collaborative efforts across the continent,” said French Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, His Excellency David Martinon.
Prior to the SA event, SAGES, with support from the Institut français’ Création Africa, hosted The Kongo Esports Champions 2024 at the Manga & Geek Days Festival in Kinshasa, DRC, from 22 to 24 November 2024, where a different group of female gamers participated. A series of discussions were also hosted, tackling the issue of African female representation in gaming.
For more information about the Mzansi Esports Champions: http://mzansi.esportschampions.africa .