All female gaming team champion GBV awareness at international E-Sports tournament

SOUTH Africa's first all-female Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) team recently returned from competing on Malaysia's global stage, using their platform to raise awareness about gender-based violence while breaking stereotypes in the male-dominated e-sports world.

Despite facing tough competition, these five trailblazers are determined to transform their international experience into growth for South African e-sports.

Team captain and former Durban resident, Rowell Reece Pillay, 23, now living in Johannesburg, said the journey began long before they boarded their flight to Malaysia.

“I started gaming as a child and always loved PlayStation. I only started competing when I was 22. My family was very proud that I wanted to pursue this opportunity and supported me fully.”

She said the selection was through a rigorous trial process led by experienced evaluators, which resulted in the country’s strongest female MLBB players being selected.

“Players tried out and the best ones were selected. Through the South Africa’s National Team Trials, we qualified for the MLBB.”

Her teammates’ stories also echoed of passion, perseverance and late-blooming competitive ambition.

Shanel Arunachellam, 20, from Johannesburg, began gaming as a child and started competing last year.

“My family was not supportive at first, but eventually they warmed up to it,” she said.Rashmika Nanakan, 30, from Pretoria, started gaming at 29.

 “My family was skeptical, but still supportive,” she shared.Ranya Sujee, 29, also from Johannesburg, had been gaming since childhood but entered competitive play at 27.

 “I am grateful my family supported me from the beginning,” she said.Neisha Ann Khan, 26, from Cape Town, began gaming during the COVID-19 lockdown.

A business analyst and accounts recon clerk by profession, Khan only entered competitive e-sports in 2024.

“The team was formed a year ago. Several people tried out, and we were selected,” she said.The tournament structure featured groups of three countries, followed by a double-elimination bracket.

The winners advanced into the upper bracket while losing teams were pushed to the lower bracket and eliminated if they were defeated again.

Facing seasoned global professionals proved to be a steep learning curve for the team.

“The competition in Malaysia was of a much higher scale compared to South Africa. Malaysia has a long-established e-sports ecosystem, the level of gameplay, strategy and team discipline is incredibly advanced. South Africa is still growing, so the gap is noticeable.”

Still, she sees this as motivation rather than discouragement,” said Pillay.“It pushed us to improve, learn faster, and bring that knowledge back home to help grow the scene,” she added.

For the team, representing gender-based violence awareness was the emotional core of the international campaign.

“It felt meaningful, emotional and deeply important to us to champion this cause which is close to our hearts. Awareness leads to conversations, and conversations lead to change,” Pillay said.

She said she hoped their presence not only shed light on GBV, but also challenged stereotypes about women in gaming.

“Being a women’s team in e-sports feels empowering. Every match is a chance to challenge stereotypes and show what we are capable of,” she said.

All five players acknowledged the responsibility they carried as trailblazers for women in South African e-sports.

“When women see other women on the main stage, it makes them believe that anything is possible. If our journey gives even one girl the confidence to join a team or enter her first tournament, then we have achieved something meaningful,” Pillay said.

The team spent a full year preparing for the international tournament, last week.

“We focused on building synergy, learning each other’s strengths, habits and communication styles. We worked on diversifying our hero pools and refining our macro play. The goal was to perform as a unified unit under pressure.”

Despite not winning in Malaysia, Pillay said the experience was invaluable.

“The matches were tough, but we learnt so much. Being a new, inexperienced team against more refined professionals was challenging. This experience motivates us to do better the next time,” she said.

Pillay’s advised young, female gamers not to think about gender. 

“Do not let stereotypes define what you can or cannot do. E-sports is about skill, passion and perseverance, not gender. Believe in your ability, stay dedicated, and focus on improving yourself," said Pillay.

 The POST