The competition is heating up, and Clearwater Mall has crowned its latest gaming champions.

Gamers from across Gauteng gathered at Clearwater Mall for the final Gauteng regional leg of the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience, battling across a mix of competitive gaming and skill-based challenges.

From EA FC 26™ and Brawlhalla to Beat Saber, Tekken, Street Fighter, Subway Surfers and the Toyota Gaming Engine Fastest Lap, competitors had plenty of opportunities to prove their skills.

For one gamer, however, the weekend delivered an even bigger reward.

Phathuthsedzo Mulaudzi books a place in the National Final

The biggest prize of the Clearwater Mall leg went to Phathuthsedzo Mulaudzi (22), who claimed first place in EA FC 26™.

Mulaudzi walked away with a R2,500 Clearwater Mall gift card and, more importantly, secured qualification for the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience National Final at Canal Walk.

Landile Mthiyane (22) finished second, earning a R1,500 Clearwater Mall gift card, while Katlego Mphaka (25) took third and received a R1,000 gift card.

With the national title now within reach, Mulaudzi will face the country’s leading qualifiers at Canal Walk later this month.

Clearwater’s gaming champions

The regional competition produced winners across multiple categories.

EA FC 26™

1st: Phathuthsedzo Mulaudzi (22) – R2,500 Clearwater Mall gift card and National Final qualification
2nd: Landile Mthiyane (22) – R1,500 Clearwater Mall gift card
3rd: Katlego Mphaka (25) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card

Beat Saber

Winner: Eythan Botha – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card

Keyboard Rebuild Challenge

Friday: Avian du Plessis (25) – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card
Saturday: Lesego Mosikane (24) – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card
Sunday: Bongani Nxumalo (26) – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card

Fighting Cup – Brawlhalla

1st: Jaden Devlal (19) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card
2nd: Amro Ahmed – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card

Fighting Cup – Tekken

1st: Yadhill Mooni (26) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card
2nd: Silumko Mgebisa (29) – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card

Fighting Cup – Street Fighter

1st: Tshiamo Lekoro (28) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card
2nd: Vuyo Fani (18) – R500 Clearwater Mall gift card

Toyota Gaming Engine Fastest Lap

Friday: Jacques Fourie (21) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card
Saturday: Devon Watt (19) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card
Sunday: Nathan Watt (19) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card

Subway Surfers Challenge

Winner: Cesc Ozoh (16) – R1,000 Clearwater Mall gift card

Familiar names return to the winners’ circle

The Clearwater Mall tournament also produced several repeat performances.

Eythan Botha successfully defended his Beat Saber title after winning the category in 2025.

Avian du Plessis, Lesego Mosikane and Jaden Devlal also repeated their victories in the Keyboard Rebuild and Brawlhalla competitions respectively.

Meanwhile, Yadhill Mooni went one step further than last year. After finishing as the Tekken runner-up in 2025, Mooni returned to claim the title this year.

Vuyo Fani also continued his strong form. After winning the Sunday Fighting Cup in 2025, Fani secured another podium finish, this time taking second place in Street Fighter.

These repeat performances added another layer to an already competitive weekend.

The road to the National Final continues

With the Clearwater Mall regional leg complete, the remaining competitors are now racing towards the final stages of the tournament.

The next regional round takes place at CapeGate Shopping Centre.

The online qualifier is scheduled for 9 August, followed by the in-centre event from 14 to 16 August.

The regional series will then culminate at Canal Walk, where the National Final takes place on 26 August. The Canal Walk in-centre event runs from 26 to 30 August, with its online qualifier scheduled for 16 August.

At the National Final, the country’s leading qualifiers will compete for the national title.

Gaming takes centre stage at South African malls

The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is described as South Africa’s biggest mall-based gaming tournament, giving players of all ages the opportunity to compete in front of live audiences at Hyprop shopping centres across Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The tournament is brought to audiences by MTN and Hyprop, with all tournaments operated by ACGL.

From virtual football and fighting games to rhythm gaming, racing and rebuilding keyboards, the competition demonstrates just how broad the gaming experience can be.

And with the National Final approaching, the pressure is about to get even higher.

For more information about the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience, visit Clearwater Mall Events.

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