At a media briefing held today in Johannesburg, the Telkom Digital Gaming League (DGL) announced major changes to the business and its management team. One of the most significant changes was the announcement that the company has become a stand-alone subsidiary of the Telkom Group as of 1 April 2017.  

The company, which has also been rebranded and is now known as VS Gaming, is headed up by CEO Cambridge Mokanyane. He takes on this role after serving as the head of brand for Telkom for over three years.

“Telkom pioneered esports in South Africa, but with its tremendous growth, we realised that it needed to be a stand-alone entity to give it the focus, energy and attention it deserves. This new entity will have the backing of Telkom to further expand esports in South Africa,” says Mokanyane. 

He adds that, “the aim of VS Gaming is to grow the esports market while working together with other organisations to make it inspirational, profitable and professional. We continue the work of DGL to provide gamers of all levels with professional platforms to grow, learn and attract international exposure.” 

At this point, the existing tournaments and the Masters league will continue as previously established, with the rules and policies remaining in place for the 2017 season.

VS Gaming has also announced a new strategic partnership with SuperSport to be the official broadcast partner of the upcoming Dota2 and CS:GO tournaments run by VS Gaming.

Furthermore, VS Gaming will be hosting the largest football e-tournament in Africa at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg on July 22 and 23. This will be the first of its kind in South Africa and will see more than one thousand players taking part in FIFA 17, according to the company, with the chance to win a substantial prize pool. More details on this tournament are expected from VS Gaming closer to the time.

“This is just the start for VS Gaming. We are going to create a community for gamers that is safe, inclusive and focused on development. And esports will not just be another hobby. We are going to create a movement,” concludes Mokanyane.

With the profile of esports, and gaming in general, rising rapidly in the past few years, this move could indeed usher in a new era for the local scene. As such, it's defintiely a space to watch in coming months and the remainder of the year.