The pressure was on at The Glen as South Africa’s MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience continued its nationwide search for the country’s top mall-based gaming champions.
The latest Gauteng leg delivered a packed weekend of competitive action, with players going head-to-head across EA FC 26™, Beat Saber, fighting games, racing challenges and more. For the competitors, it was more than a casual gaming session—it was a chance to put their skills on display, collect prizes and, in the EA FC 26™ competition, take another step toward the National Finals.
Zahir Patel Takes the EA FC 26 Crown
The headline result came in EA FC 26™, where 22-year-old Zahir Ahmed Patel emerged victorious.
Patel claimed first place ahead of Uthmaan Abdul Aziz and Ryan Govender, earning a R2 500 The Glen gift card and qualification for the Canal Walk Final.
For a tournament built around live competition, the result carries extra weight. Players aren’t simply battling opponents from behind a screen—they are competing in a public environment, with spectators watching every decision, goal and momentum swing.
Abdul Aziz finished second to take home a R1 500 gift card, while Govender secured third and a R1 000 prize.
Different Games, Different Tests
The Glen leg also highlighted the breadth of competitive gaming, with several titles demanding completely different skill sets.
In Beat Saber, 17-year-old Timothy Daniels claimed the top spot and a R1 000 gift card.
The Fighting Cup delivered three separate battlegrounds. Jaden Devlal won the Brawlhalla competition, Yadhill Mooni took the Tekken title, while Pedro Jeque came out on top in Street Fighter.
Each champion walked away with R1 000, while the runners-up—Carlos Kori, Burhan Ashfaq and Vuyo Fani—each earned R500.
The results underline one of competitive gaming’s biggest strengths: there is no single route to victory. Precision, timing, reaction speed, game knowledge and composure can all determine who survives when the pressure rises.
Speed Meets Gaming at The Glen
The Toyota Gaming Engine Fastest Lap added another layer of competition to the weekend.
Letloko More posted the winning performance on Friday, followed by Nathan Watt on Saturday and Samuel Kipundu on Sunday. Each winner earned a R1 000 The Glen gift card.
Meanwhile, the Subway Surf Challenge went to Vuyo Fani, who added another R1 000 prize to his weekend after finishing second in the Street Fighter competition.
The Keyboard Rebuild Challenge also kept competitors busy throughout the weekend, with Lesego Mosikare, Isaac Shivambu and Bongani Nxumale taking the Friday, Saturday and Sunday wins respectively.
The Road to the National Finals
The Glen is another chapter in a tournament designed to take competitive gaming out of traditional gaming venues and into major shopping centres.
The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is being hosted at leading Hyprop shopping centres across Gauteng and the Western Cape, with more than R250 000 in prizes available throughout the tournament.
But for the strongest competitors, the bigger prize is progression.
Patel’s EA FC 26 victory has secured his place at the Canal Walk Final, bringing him closer to the National Finals and the opportunity to compete against the best players to emerge from the nationwide tournament.
The remaining schedule includes events at Capegate and Canal Walk, with the final in-centre event scheduled for 26–30 August.
For South Africa’s competitive gaming scene, the format offers something increasingly important: a public stage where gamers can compete, spectators can experience esports first-hand and emerging talent can be identified outside traditional gaming spaces.
At The Glen, another group of champions has been crowned. Now the real test begins for those chasing the National Finals.
