48 Hours of Apex Legends: Local gaming personalities battle for the Red Bull Locked In title:
It was a warm Saturday evening in Cape Town. Inside the Bellville Velodrome, loud cheers echoed through the dome. Rows of glowing monitors lit up the space and the rapid clicks of keyboards filled the air. Gamers were locked onto their screens, faces set in intense focus. This was the atmosphere at Red Bull Locked In, a 48-hour gaming marathon.
Gaming fans were treated to Red Bull Locked In, an electric gaming tournament that saw four teams and 120 players locked in for 48 hours to prove they were the ultimate Apex Legends team on LAN (Local Area Network). A LAN set-up brought everyone into the same space, linking consoles and computers through a local network for the fastest possible gameplay.
The competition featured four prominent South African gaming personalities as team captains. Leading Team Red was Bish (Julia Robson) — the sole female captain in the line-up — while Skarra (Collins Manyame) took the helm for Team Silver. Rounding out the roster were HenricoM (Henrico Morton) for Team Blue and Binkz (Tyler August) for Team Yellow.
Selecting the right teammates was no small feat. Captains carefully vetted online applications, looking for the specific competitive edge needed to survive a 48-hour LAN marathon.
“I did look at skill. Of course, I am naturally competitive,” said Skarra. “I love to win. But also at the same time, it’s also about having fun and making sure that you bring a good vibe to the team.
“It was also kind of looking into that and making sure that the people that are on my team kind of have a good vibe to them. They also know that it’s not always about winning and even if you’re losing, you can still have fun.”
Binkz said many of the participants were familiar to the organisers through their streaming communities.
“When the signups opened we told everyone to register, so a lot of people we knew joined,” he said. Team selections were based partly on chemistry and familiarity but also on giving players the chance to meet, mingle and make new friends. “That’s the point of the LAN.”
Beds lined the side of the stage, giving players a place to rest during the 48-hour marathon. The set-up recreated the nostalgic “LAN party” culture of early gaming, where players would spend entire weekends gaming, sleeping and competing in the same space.
“The ‘bed’ aspect for people that don’t know is that when it comes to LAN, you always want to make sure that you at least have a place to sleep and you know you have some place to rest,” Skarra said.
“It’s not always just about straight gaming. Some people enjoy gaming through the night but with an event like this, where we know there’s going to be an intense schedule coming through, I try to advise the players that: ‘Hey, you know, we want to have fun but there has to be a cut-off time. Try to get some rest, get yourself refreshed for the morning.’”
Gaming professionally is not something Bish, the captain leading Team Red, thought she would do.
“I did not know I was going to do this competitively but I used to come to the Bellville Velodrome for a 1000 man OC lands and that kind of ignited it,” she said. “At the age of 16, I really found my groove in this space. I knew I wanted to pursue Twitch streaming and see where it took me but I had no idea where we’re going to be today.”
On being the sole female captain, Bish said she hoped to motivate more girls to play.
“I’m happy to represent. I grew up in this space and it’s nice to see more girls here as well. There’s girls in every team. If anything, this might just motivate more girls to play Apex and video games. Though we are few, we are mighty!”
Red Bull Locked In became even more competitive between the four captains when teams were offered various competitive elements that included friendly “sabotage” to give their teams an edge.
“Red Bull sort of initiated and allowed us to have little perks that can kind of give us a competitive advantage,” said Skarra. “And one of the players or one of the team captains actually played a card that had to force one of the team captains to switch what inputs they played with.
“One of the team captains plays with a mouse and keyboard. They had to switch to play with a controller. It’s little things like that where you’re put into a sort of unfamiliar water and territory that sometimes can affect how your game goes,” said Skarra.
There’s no malice. “You know, we love each other, [we’re] all great friends at the end of the day but we know once it’s time to lock into the server, we have got to do what we can to win. And that’s been the beauty of it. We can still have fun outside the lobby but inside, you know, we go all out and see who has the best gamers.”
Bragging rights were on the line for Team Yellow captain leader Binkz.
“Just for some context, we had another interview. And then in that interview, we were asked: ‘Do you have anything to say to your captains’. I told him: ‘It’s going to suck if you guys lose to me. It’s going to suck,’” Binkz giggled. “We are in the lead at the moment and there’s one more game to play. They are never going to hear the end of it.”
Several key strategies become far more critical when playing Apex Legends in a LAN environment compared to standard online matches. For Bish and Skarra, communication was key.
“Get to know your teammates, make friends, communication is unfortunately key, so you’re gonna have to be screaming into your mic if you can’t hear each other but that is definitely the best way to go,” Bish said.
Skarra said winning came down to two key things: communication and controlling the map. Being in the right position allowed a team to anticipate enemy movements and defend effectively, while clear communication ensured players knew when to attack, hold back or retreat.
In a LAN setting, where anything could happen, he said, the skills were even more important because every team started on an equal footing.
Heading into the final two games, the tension was palpable. Team Yellow held a commanding lead at the top of the scoreboard, followed closely by Team Blue. Team Silver sat in third, while Team Red found themselves at the bottom of the rankings.
“At the moment, we’re currently third out of four, which you’d think is bad but we’re actually one point behind second and 20 points behind first,” Skarra said. “And with the point system that is very close.
“We also have an advantage going into the last game where we get double points for whatever we earn, meaning there is a good chance that we can also pull ahead both in this next game and in the last. I’m still feeling very confident.”
Team Silver pulled off an incredible comeback. In a stunning upset, the team charged from third place in the final moments to snatch the Red Bull Locked In title.
Skarra was over the moon. “It’s very hard to describe what I feel right now because in our celebrations, I literally almost passed out on the stage but it is just genuinely a surreal feeling and something that I’m so blessed to be able to experience.”
On how Team Silver managed to get themselves out of third place to being the champions, the captain said it was all strategy.
“I stayed up till 3am the previous day just trying to strategise how we’re going to approach every single game mode and then on top of that, I just made sure that throughout, encouraging the guys that: Listen, it’s okay we might be in third place but at the end of the day, I’m still proud of you.’”
After the win, the captain shared a message for the next generation, encouraging young players to embrace their passion for gaming with pride and urging them to never feel discouraged by the stigma of being a gamer.
“To the upcoming young gamers, one thing I have to say to you is: ‘Don’t feel ashamed that you’re a gamer. There was a point where if you were told you’re a gamer, you were always seen as a nerd. You couldn’t really have fun. Gaming is cool now so, you can be a gamer, you can have fun. But also, you can experience moments like this. The most important thing is just realising that whenever you’re gaming, it doesn’t just have to be in front of your screen.
“‘You can be in person and you can live and love that moment. You meet new people and right now I’ve met 30 different new people and it’s just going to be something that I’m going to hold for the rest of my life.’”
The journalist’s trip to Cape Town was sponsored by Red Bull South Africa.
SA exposed as Middle East conflict pushes oil above 0:
South Africa’s vulnerability to global energy shocks is coming into sharper focus as the escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States pushes oil prices above $ 100 a barrel, raising questions about whether the country has sufficient fuel reserves to withstand a prolonged disruption to global supply.
The escalation in the Middle East over the past two weeks has unsettled energy markets and injected volatility into oil trading. Much of the concern centres on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime corridor between Iran and Oman through which roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes.
Even the risk of disruption to tanker traffic through the strait has been enough to drive
prices higher. For South Africa, which imports the majority of its crude oil and refined petroleum products, the implications extend well beyond rising petrol prices.
Energy economist Lungile Mashele said the crisis highlights a deeper structural vulnerability in the South African economy. The country remains exposed because it is a net oil importer, she said.
It imports more than 20 billion litres of crude oil and refined petroleum products each year, all priced in US dollars using international oil benchmarks. That means geopolitical shocks in global energy markets are transmitted almost immediately into the domestic economy.
“We are deeply susceptible to these shocks and they will become evident in our food, electricity, fuel, medical, clothing, car and building prices,” Mashele said.
South Africa’s supply chain also exposes it to instability in the Gulf region. Nearly half of the country’s crude oil imports come from Nigeria but the remainder is sourced from producers in the Middle East.
“The rest of our crude comes from Saudi Arabia and other smaller countries, which means we remain exposed to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.
South Africa’s limited domestic refining capacity further increases that vulnerability. Several refineries have shut down over the past decade and the country now relies heavily on imported refined fuels.
“More than that, we import refined products from Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia,” Mashele said. “All of these countries are affected by the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.”
If supply disruptions persist, the economic effects could spread quickly through the domestic economy. “The economic impact for South Africa would be higher prices for goods and services and depressed growth,” said Mashele.
South Africa’s ability to cushion the impact of a prolonged disruption to global oil supplies is also under scrutiny. The country maintains strategic crude reserves through the Strategic Fuel Fund, historically intended to provide about 90 days of supply in line with international energy security norms.
However, analysts have long questioned whether those reserves remain sufficient after the controversial sale of strategic stocks several years ago and the steady decline of domestic refining capacity.
Even where crude reserves exist, converting them into usable fuel has become more complicated. South Africa has shut down most of its refining capacity over the past decade and now relies heavily on imported refined products such as petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.
That means the country’s resilience depends not only on its own reserves but also on the
continued functioning of global supply chains and refining capacity elsewhere. Rising oil prices increase transport and logistics costs across supply chains. Producers face higher operating costs and these are eventually passed on to consumers.
Mashele cautioned, however, that higher fuel prices do not automatically translate into sustained inflation. “Higher oil prices will certainly lead to higher input costs for almost all goods and services but that does not necessarily result in inflation.”
Whether those price increases become entrenched will depend largely on how policymakers respond. “Inflation will be a function of how the Reserve Bank and government respond to the oil price shock,” she said.
That response could involve tighter monetary policy or decisions about whether to release
strategic fuel stocks to ease price pressures. Even without prolonged supply disruptions motorists are likely to feel the impact soon. “Fuel will definitely increase,” Mashele said. “Estimates indicate increases of between R2 and R4 per litre for petrol and diesel.”
However, she cautioned that oil markets remain highly volatile. “Given the current intraday volatility in the market it is hard to say what the final increase will be.”
The implications of the conflict may extend beyond fuel prices alone. Energy analyst Chris Yelland said disruptions to global oil supply chains also affect the petrochemical sector, which produces the base materials used in plastics, packaging, construction products and many manufactured goods.
“It’s not just the fuel supply chain that could be affected,” he said. “There are all manner of oil-based chemicals and products that depend on those supply routes.”
Petrochemical plants that lose access to feedstock such as naphtha can be forced to halt production, triggering knock-on effects throughout global manufacturing networks. “The cascade does not stop at the refinery,” Yelland noted. “It ultimately reaches the supermarket shelf.”
For South Africa, the implications extend beyond fuel prices. The country imports large volumes of refined fuels and petrochemical inputs that feed into domestic manufacturing, agriculture, construction and retail supply chains.
Disruptions in global petrochemical production risk raising the cost of a wide range of everyday goods, from packaging and fertilisers to building materials and consumer products.
In an economy already under pressure from weak growth and high unemployment, those price shocks could filter quickly through supply chains and eventually reach consumers.
The surge in oil prices is also beginning to complicate the country’s macroeconomic outlook. Elna Moolman, head of South Africa macroeconomic research at Standard Bank, said the inflationary consequences of the oil price spike could delay the prospect of interest rate cuts.
“Interest rate cuts will likely be delayed given the inflationary impact of the war induced spike in oil prices,” said Moolman.
The South African Reserve Bank had been widely expected to begin gradually lowering
borrowing costs this year as inflation eased toward the midpoint of its target range. The sudden jump in oil prices has complicated that outlook.
Despite the risks, Moolman said the broader inflationary impact could remain manageable if the rand remains relatively resilient. “The inflationary impact of the Iran war for South Africa should remain relatively contained as long as the rand remains reasonably resilient.”
A stronger rand can offset part of the oil price shock by reducing the cost of imported fuel in local currency terms. She added that geopolitical instability can also support some of South Africa’s commodity exports.
“The impact of higher oil prices on growth and the current account should be diluted by the rise in coal prices as well as spiking precious metals prices,” Moolman said.
Even so, the conflict has introduced a new layer of uncertainty into the country’s economic outlook. If oil prices remain elevated or supply disruptions intensify, the effects could ripple through the economy for months.
For many households and businesses, the first sign of that global turmoil will likely appear at the petrol pump. Events unfolding thousands of kilometres away are already beginning to shape the economic reality at home.
Gauteng Finance MEC Legogang Maile has allocated R1.4 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year to the Gauteng provincial legislature, increasing to R3.3bn over the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF), with part of the funding going to political parties represented in the legislature.
The office of Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of Gauteng, has been given R1.6bn in 2026/2027, which is R4.7bn over the MTEF, to drive implementation of the province’s 2024 to 2029 medium-term development plan.
Maile tabled a R179bn provincial budget, representing a R3.6bn increase from last year’s allocation.
Speaking during his budget speech on Tuesday, Maile said “spend better” was not a slogan but an instruction.
He said that to strengthen democracy and reinforce accountability, the Gauteng provincial legislature would receive R1.4bn in 2026/2027, rising to R3.3bn over the MTEF, to support lawmaking, oversight and public participation — a move that appeared to be welcomed by every political party represented in the legislature.
Maile said the allocation included funding for political parties and constituency support, as well as resources for voter education, ICT requirements, committee work, the filling of critical vacancies and capital assets, among them projects financed through retained income.
Economic development
The Gauteng department of economic development would receive R1.8bn in the 2026/2027 financial year, increasing to R4.9bn over the MTEF, to drive inclusive growth and create jobs through economic development and investment promotion.
The allocation supported the work of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency and Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, with a strong focus on special economic zone development, township automotive hubs, the revitalisation of industrial parks, the Vaal Special Economic Zone, bulk infrastructure for phase two of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone and trade facilitation under the African Continental Free Trade Area, he said.
Health
The Gauteng department of health had been allocated R70.3bn in 2026/2027, increasing to R218.6bn over the MTEF, to strengthen the public health system, expand access and improve the quality of care.
Maile said the funding would support maternal and child health programmes, the Ideal Clinic and Ideal Hospital initiatives, improved emergency medical response times, the integration of mental health services at community level, digital health systems and electronic records, as well as stronger interventions against HIV and TB.
Education
The Gauteng department of education has been allocated R70.9bn in the 2026/2027 financial year, increasing to R221.8bn over the MTEF, to improve learning outcomes from early childhood development through to matric, while strengthening safe and inclusive schooling.
“This allocation supports the early childhood development strategy, learner performance programmes such as the secondary school improvement programme, school safety initiatives, pro-poor interventions including nutrition and scholar transport, schools of specialisation and inclusive education through special schools,” he said.
Social development
To support vulnerable residents and reduce poverty, Maile said the Gauteng department of social development received R5.6bn in 2026/2027, increasing to R17.2bn over the MTEF, to strengthen partnerships and targeted social programmes.
The funding would go towards skills development for vulnerable groups, the provincial homelessness strategy, food security interventions, Bana Pele programmes, child and youth care centres, community prevention services, substance use disorder treatment, aftercare services and upgrades to state-owned facilities.
Cooperative governance
A total of R680.5 million was allocated to the Gauteng department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs in 2026/2027, increasing to R1.9bn over the MTEF.
Maile said the resources would be used to strengthen integrated planning, municipal support and coordination from the centre of government.
That included funding for disaster management capacity, community development workers, the e-indigent register, municipal metering interventions, IDP coordination aligned to the spatial development framework, and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) support for employment creation initiatives and stabilising energy supply.
Human settlements
The Gauteng department of human settlements had been allocated R5.5bn in 2026/2027, or R16.6bn over the MTEF, to expand access to inclusive human settlement opportunities and improve living conditions.
Key priorities included upgrading informal settlements; providing interim sanitation; delivering mega housing projects and breaking new ground units, including serviced stands; accelerating land release; issuing title deeds; strengthening tenure security; maintaining assets; creating EPWP jobs; and redeveloping hostels to provide dignified accommodation.
Roads and transport
Maile said that to build an integrated, safe and affordable transport system, R10.2bn was being allocated in 2026/2027, increasing to R27.8bn over the MTEF, to the Gauteng department of roads and transport “to improve access to opportunities and support economic growth”.
The funding would cover transport infrastructure, strategic road upgrades and rehabilitation linked to special economic zone access, the provincial road maintenance programme, EPWP job creation, public transport integration through a single e-ticket system and intermodal hubs and bus service subsidies across the province.
Community safety
The Gauteng department of community safety has been allocated R2.3bn in 2026/2027, rising to R7bn over the MTEF, to protect communities and strengthen policing oversight, school safety, road safety and the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
The budget provided for the comprehensive school safety programme, police station performance monitoring through oversight visits, the deployment of Gauteng traffic wardens and related operational support including air support, GBVF victim support and case tracking and intensified road safety enforcement aimed at reducing fatalities.
The budget also included R159.6m for the training and uniforms of traffic officers and peace officers, in line with recommendations from the Public Protector South Africa.
Agriculture and rural development
The Gauteng department of agriculture and rural development had been allocated R742.6m in 2026/2027, increasing to R2.2bn over the MTEF, to strengthen food security and build competitive agricultural value chains.
Maile said the funding supported subsistence food production, the development and commercialisation of smallholder farmers, agro-processing and value chain integration and economic growth through stronger biosecurity, export promotion and veterinary services.
It also includes targeted funding of R63.9m to contain foot-and-mouth disease through vaccination and surveillance.
Sport, arts and culture
The Gauteng department of sport, arts, culture and recreation would receive R1bn in 2026/2027, rising to R3.2bn over the MTEF, to use for sport, arts and culture in order to strengthen social cohesion and expand participation and opportunities.
“The allocation supports school sport and school arts programmes, community-led social cohesion initiatives and dialogues, the premier’s performing arts programme and assistance to municipalities for library services that promote reading, learning and a sense of belonging,” said Maile.
e-Government
To expand ICT connectivity and modernise service delivery, R1.9bn was being allocated in 2026/2027 and R5.2bn over the MTEF to the Gauteng department of e-government, Maile said.
The funding would support the Gauteng provincial network, the expansion of township wifi hotspots, the installation of CCTV to improve safety in township communities and a one-off injection for goods and services in 2026/2027 to strengthen roll-out and delivery capacity.
Provincial treasury
Maile said the Gauteng provincial treasury would receive R788.4m in 2026/2027 and R2.5bn over the MTEF to ensure that MTDP priorities were properly funded and public resources were managed effectively and efficiently.
That included support for infrastructure planning and delivery capacity, personnel requirements such as early retirement and voluntary exit costs and compensation of employees carry-through. It would also include the deployment of municipal finance experts to strengthen municipal financial management and supply chain management reforms aimed at advancing township procurement targets and supplier development.
Infrastructure development
The Gauteng department of infrastructure development had been allocated R3.7bn in the 2026/2027 financial year, with a cumulative total of R10.9bn over the MTEF, to accelerate social infrastructure delivery, precinct development and job creation.
The funding would support provincial infrastructure delivery and maintenance; CBD and precinct revitalisation; office consolidation; EPWP and National Youth Service work opportunities; infrastructure support for catalytic projects, including bulk infrastructure; the devolution of property rates to municipalities to keep schools, health facilities and social development centres operational; and strategic lease management.
Environment
“To protect natural assets and build a more resilient Gauteng, we are allocating R646.6m in 2026/2027, increasing to R2bn over the MTEF, to the Gauteng department of environment,” said Maile.
The funding would support upgrades to air quality monitoring, feasibility work for an integrated waste management facility; recycling infrastructure and buy-back centre upgrades; waste minimisation regulations; the cleaning and greening plan, including the one-million-tree programme with a food security focus; climate change action and awareness programmes; and targeted biodiversity protection and maintenance.
Fiscal pressures
Maile added that the social sector — health, education and social development — collectively accounted for an average of 83% of the provincial budget over the MTEF.
“It is for this reason that we are determined to anchor discipline in how we manage the resources of the province, the bulk of which is allocated to services that our people engage with daily,” he said.
“We must be honest about our fiscal reality and the nature of obligations that significantly narrow our room to manoeuvre.”
He said the province had paid R9.3bn towards the principal Gauteng e?Toll system debt of R20bn. A further R4.6bn was required for the next instalment in June 2026.
“In the last two years of the 2026 MTEF, a further R6.2bn must be paid. These are consequential amounts that will have a significant implication on how we plan and execute,” Maile said.
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