MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / Entertainment / Woodlands Mall Winners Return to the Podium at MTN Shift Gaming Experience

Woodlands Mall Winners Return to the Podium at MTN Shift Gaming Experience

Several familiar names reclaimed their place among the winners as Pretoria’s gaming community gathered for three days of live competition. Pretoria’s gaming community took centre stage at Woodlands Mall from 12 to 14 June, where returning champions and new contenders competed in the latest leg of the 2026 MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience. The results reflected …

Several familiar names reclaimed their place among the winners as Pretoria’s gaming community gathered for three days of live competition.
Pretoria’s gaming community took centre stage at Woodlands Mall from 12 to 14 June, where returning champions and new contenders competed in the latest leg of the 2026 MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience.

The results reflected the growing continuity within the tournament. Zaid April, who won the 2024 EA FC National Final at Canal Walk, secured another place in the 2026 finals with his victory at Woodlands Mall. Michael Prange, who won Beat Saber in 2025, again recorded the top result in the category. Lesego Mosikare returned to win Brawlhalla for a second consecutive year, while Ighsaan Brinkhuis secured third place in EA FC 26™, matching his third-place finish in the 2024 competition.

Their return to the podium added another layer to a weekend that introduced new names across EA FC 26™, Tekken, Street Fighter 6, Fastest Lap, Subway Surfers and the Keyboard Rebuild Race.

A total of 619 people registered for the Woodlands Mall leg, with 2 486 people taking part in the live challenges and tournaments hosted inside the mall.

The weekend’s biggest result belonged to the, Zaid April, who won the EA FC 26™ Mall Final. April received a R2,500 Woodlands Mall gift card and secured his place at the 2026 National Football Final, which will form part of the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience finals at Canal Walk from 26 to 30 August 2026.

Katlego Mphaka finished second in the EA FC 26™ competition, earning a R1,500 Woodlands Mall gift card, while third-placed Ighsaan Brinkhuis received a R1,000 gift card.

Competition extended beyond the virtual football pitch. Fighting-game players faced one another in Brawlhalla, Tekken and Street Fighter 6, while the Fastest Lap challenge tested racing skill across all three days. Beat Saber brought virtual-reality rhythm into the mix, and the Keyboard Rebuild Race challenged entrants to combine technical knowledge with speed.

Several competitors strengthened their records within the series. Lesego Mosikare produced one of the weekend’s strongest performances, winning Friday’s Keyboard Rebuild Race before successfully defending the Brawlhalla title he claimed in 2025. Michael Prange repeated his 2025 Beat Saber victory, while Ighsaan Brinkhuis returned to the EA FC podium after also finishing third in 2024.

“Woodlands was filled with energy throughout the weekend, and it was rewarding to see both returning competitors and new players stepping forward,” said Barbara Perry, Marketing Manager of Woodlands Mall. “When previous winners come back to compete again, it shows that the event has earned a place in the local gaming calendar. It gives skilled players something to work towards while remaining open and welcoming to anyone who wants to take part.”

The 2026 Woodlands Mall winners are…

EA FC 26™

  • 1st place: Zaid April – Prize: R2,500 Woodlands Mall gift card and qualification for the National Football Final at Canal Walk in August
  • 2nd place: Katlego Mphaka – Prize: R1,500 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • 3rd place: Ighsaan Brinkhuis – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card

Beat Saber

  • 1st place: Michael Prange – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card

Fighting Cup

Friday, 12 June: Brawlhalla

  • 1st place: Lesego Mosikare, 23 – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • 2nd place: Aphiwe Mzilikazi, 25 -Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card

Saturday, 13 June: Tekken

  • 1st place: Silumko Mgebisa, 28 – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • 2nd place: Tiisetso Monatisa, 27 – Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card

Sunday, 14 June: Street Fighter 6

  • 1st place: Vuyo Fani, 17 – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • 2nd place: Hlulani Ndlovu, 22 – Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card

Fastest Lap

  • Friday, 12 June: Wian Badenhorst – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • Saturday, 13 June: Michael Lombard – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • Sunday, 14 June: Timothy Mashifana – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card

Keyboard Rebuild Race

  • Friday, 12 June: Lesego Mosikare, 23 – Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • Saturday, 13 June: Bongani Nxumalo, 25 – Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card
  • Sunday, 14 June: Reinhardt Botha, 31 – Prize: R500 Woodlands Mall gift card

Subway Surfers

  • 1st place: Sivu Fani – Prize: R1,000 Woodlands Mall gift card

The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience next heads to The Glen, where the in-centre competition will take place from 26 to 28 June. The national finals will be held at Canal Walk during its in-centre event from 26 to 30 August 2026 where a total prize pool of more than R50,000 is up for grabs.

Visit acgl.gg/mtnshift to enter online or sign up in-mall.

Remaining Tournament Dates & Venues:

  • The Glen – Online Qualifier: 21 Jun | In-Centre Event: 26 – 28 Jun
  • Table Bay Mall – Online Qualifier: 5 Jul | In-Centre Event: 10 – 12 Jul
  • Clearwater – Online Qualifier: 25 Jul | In-Centre Event: 31 Jul – 2 Aug
  • Capegate – Online Qualifier: 9 Aug | In-Centre Event: 14 – 16 Aug
  • Canal Walk – Online Qualifier: 16 Aug | In-Centre Event: 26 – 30 Aug

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Author: Neke Ndlovu from Angelfish PR & Events on behalf of Hyprop.

Track Your Press Release HERE:

Check Online Visibility

Verify where this release is currently indexed:

Read More at MyPR.co.za

Journalist Job – Anchor: The face of a news program. Anchors present news stories on television or radio, often reading
scripts written by reporters and producers. They need strong communication skills and a calm demeanor.

Category: , Tag: , , ,

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Thoughts on Lotto Winner News

    Dear Editor This is fantastic news for the community of Gqeberha. It is always heartwarming to hear about such life-changing positive outcomes for everyday people. Congratulations to the lucky winner! Regards Buhle Ngcobo In Response to/From: R8.5 Million Lotto Winner Claims Prize in Gqeberha

  • Inquiry Regarding SASSA Card Replacement

    Dear Editor I am a social grant recipient and need guidance on swapping my SASSA Gold Card for the Postbank Black Card. Please assist. Regards Buhle Ngcobo In Response to/From: Minister Tolashe assures smooth transition to Postbank Black Cards for grant beneficiaries Swapping your SASSA Gold Card for the new Postbank Black Card is a…

  • Congratulations to the Lotto Winner

    Dear Editor Dear Editor, I was thrilled to hear about the R8.5 million Lotto win for the community of Gqeberha. Such life-changing news brings hope and excitement to everyone in the area. I congratulate the winner and wish them all the best with their prize. May this bring positive change to their life and the…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Show Me the Money: Before you put the PR movie list away, jot down one more title: Jerry Maguire. Technically, Tom Cruise’s titular character is a sports agent, not a PR pro – hence its exclusion from our list above – but many of his skills align with the industry. From managing client relationships to pitching and marketing, Jerry Maguire is filled with PR wisdom.

  2. It Started with Cave Art: PR goes back to the earliest days of civilization. From communicating through cave drawings to Egyptian pharaohs’ “sacred carvings” and Greek noblemen learning rhetoric from sophists, communications management is an age-old practice. (Source: The Museum of Public Relations)

  3. Vincent van Gogh\’s mother painted all of his best things. The famous mailed decapitated ear was a figment of the Public Relations firm engaged by Van Gogh\’s dealer. – Roy Blount, Jr. –