Home Gaming Is the MSSA building bridges?

Is the MSSA building bridges?

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Look it's a different picture of Simphiwe

So everyone by now knows what I think of the MSSA right? No? Okay let me quickly give you a rundown of how I feel about the organisation known as Mind Sports South Africa.

  1. I believe they have been run terribly and have hurt local eSports, by fragmenting the community. 
  2. I think the idea of a government endorsed body to support eSports can be a great thing.
  3. The MSSA as it stands is not that great thing.

There.  Simple enough.

Okay so carrying on, when I saw that Simphiwe Maphumo had been elected the new president of the MSSA after the debacle that went before him,I couldn’t help but feel this was simply a smoke-screen of an election and that nothing will change.

This feeling was only further endorsed when Simphiwe made his first public comments and basically told us all to take a hike. Since then I‘ve pretty much ignored the organisation and carried on with normal life and working on ways to help eSports locally.

However I awoke this morning to a nice surprise. In my optimistic world I’m going to believe that the MSSA President Simphiwe Maphumo asking to join the Facebook group for  South African eSports Association; has been done as a show of good faith in the industry and in an attempt to mend bridges that were burned, destroyed and defecated on by the previous president.

To be clear he didn’t really defecate, destroy or burn any physical bridges. It’s a metaphor.

SimphiweInvite

Just an hour later, he  was added to the group by the President of the SAESA

SimphiweAnthony

So is this really the new President mending bridges with the community? Should we give them another chance to show they really have our interests at heart? I tell you what, I’ll keep my personal opinion out of this lest someone who used to be in power decides to lay charges.

Instead, in the interest of local eSports, why not rather put forward pertinent questions down in the comments and I will send them to Simphiwe and we can see if he responds. Obviously I’m not sending questions that insult or abuse the man personally. However I will send questions that ruffle the MSSA’s feathers if they’re worthwhile.

Respect is earned and the MSSA has earned many many things over the years but respect from gamers is most definitely not one of them. Working with the eSports community instead of against it is certainly one way to address that. 

Last Updated: March 6, 2014

57 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief in Vegas

    March 6, 2014 at 12:20

    Looks like PR stunt to me

    Reply

  2. Admiral Chief in Vegas

    March 6, 2014 at 12:21

    After the way he responded, I feel an apology is due, before ANYTHING he says/does can be taken seriously

    Reply

  3. Gerhard Davids

    March 6, 2014 at 12:24

    After the way he treated the gaming community in that “AmA” he has a fuck load more to do than loiter on facebook.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      March 6, 2014 at 12:24

      Agreed

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      March 6, 2014 at 12:30

      Yes.

      Reply

  4. Admiral Chief in Vegas

    March 6, 2014 at 12:24

    Here is solution:

    MSSA stay the F#$@ away from eSports. New SA eSports federation to be created, administered and chaired by a GAMER. eSports to flourish in good ol’ RS of A (we are still republic, aren’t we?)

    Reply

    • Gerhard Davids

      March 6, 2014 at 12:27

      I don’t even think it needs to be chaired by a gamer, in fact I think there are people with better skill set’s more suited to such a position. That person however would need to have good grasp of the gaming scene and most importantly the local & international gaming community.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        March 6, 2014 at 12:29

        Indeed, just someone with a vested interest and that has more experience in this field

        Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          March 6, 2014 at 12:54

          And time.

          Reply

  5. Alien Emperor Trevor

    March 6, 2014 at 12:29

    Where does he get the time?

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      March 6, 2014 at 12:30

      Trevor, asking the hard hitting, most important question of them all

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        March 6, 2014 at 12:31

        BWAHAHAHAHAH!

        Reply

    • RinceThis

      March 6, 2014 at 12:33

      “3Rd Degree, asking the questions others are too afraid to”.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        March 6, 2014 at 12:35

        “Next time, on the HardHitterQA, Trevor will ask a certain president, how does he feel about all that booing”

        Reply

      • Brady miaau

        March 6, 2014 at 12:51

        Wow, it seems that her face has been photo-shopped to look almost non-human.

        I have seen her in real life, she does not really look like that picture.

        Reply

  6. Gobz

    March 6, 2014 at 12:29

    Nyeh, hard to see this as anything more than damage control. Join a FB group, look good, hope everyone forgets about everything.

    Reply

    • ThisIsBullShlt

      March 6, 2014 at 14:47

      Actually by joining the group he has become a member of SAESA and should face MSSA disciplinary action against him because it is strictly forbidden.

      Reply

  7. RinceThis

    March 6, 2014 at 12:30

    Yeah, last time I asked questions I was told to pay to have them answered. Unless that changes I am not interested in the MSSA or it’s new president.

    Reply

  8. Laby

    March 6, 2014 at 12:44

    Well I am a bit too old for the MSSA now xD

    Reply

  9. Axon1988

    March 6, 2014 at 12:47

    I sense an ulterior motive…

    Reply

  10. Kensei Seraph

    March 6, 2014 at 12:52

    *Grabs tinfoil*
    Simphiwe Maphumo doesn’t actually have a Facebook account, it’s actually Colin who uses an account with that name.
    *Suffocates from tinfoil*

    Reply

  11. Kensei Seraph

    March 6, 2014 at 12:59

    [Condescending statement]
    I followed your advise.
    The Drakensberg was fairly difficult to play games on my PC, what with the lack of electricity, shelter and rain.
    [Condescending question]
    What would you advise I do next in order to benefit eSports?

    Reply

  12. Kensei Seraph

    March 6, 2014 at 13:01

    I honestly can’t think of any serious questions to ask.
    I’d make a terrible journalist.

    Reply

  13. Admiral Chief in Vegas

    March 6, 2014 at 13:02

    The “president” has booked a hall to address the peeps on 15th of March. Lets see if he is man enough to show up

    Reply

  14. Brady miaau

    March 6, 2014 at 13:22

    benefit of the doubt. MSSA cannot try to better themselves and improve on general relations if they are not given some room to move in.

    I get the sarcasm and so forth, I just wonder if it is helping or hindering the process

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      March 6, 2014 at 13:42

      Yes, good point. First see what happens.

      Reply

  15. Weanerdog

    March 6, 2014 at 14:01

    I would love to know the following:
    1 What is the membership of the MSSA?
    2. What percentage of that membership comprises of esport members?
    3. How many of their codes that they administrate are professional?
    4. Are professional gamers that are registered with the MSSA restricted to play only MSSA events and if so how can you legally restrict someones earnings?
    5. How often do you review the international federations and what is the due process that you complete in order to make sure that the international federation that you are aligned with offers the most for our local esports scene?

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      March 6, 2014 at 14:09

      Good questions…

      Reply

      • Weanerdog

        March 6, 2014 at 15:10

        Thanks, I work out.

        Reply

  16. Johan du Preez

    March 6, 2014 at 14:09

    MSSA is a sham and will never be taken seriously in South Africa. The damage is done ….

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      March 6, 2014 at 14:10

      You bring up a valid point there Johan

      Reply

      • Johan du Preez

        March 6, 2014 at 14:16

        You cant introduce yourself to the community while threatening the community especially with the bad reputation you already have MSSA. Then come a week later and want to build bridges and fix it. We already know what they really think of the community.

        Why do you think they want numbers because they are just seeing dollar signs. They have done nothing over the past year for gaming and actually tried to prevent south african players competing internationally.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief in Vegas

          March 6, 2014 at 14:22

          Complete and utter muppetry

          Reply

  17. Douglas Brown

    March 6, 2014 at 14:22

    Just a quick question: didn’t MSSA’s terms and conditions say that you may not be a member of both the MSSA and a non MSSA affiliate. Now as far as I understand SAESA is not affiliated to the MSSA in any way. Further more merely being a member of the SAESA facebook group means you are an official member. Just putting that little nugget out there.

    Oh and one last thing F-ing ESKOM…

    Reply

    • ThisIsBullShlt

      March 6, 2014 at 14:44

      He’s violating the MSSA’s own rules that we have to adhere to to even be heard. That says it all. Fuck the MSSA. They are desperate now that they realize we’re taking eSports away from them no matter what they say or do.

      Reply

  18. Drizzt

    March 6, 2014 at 14:47

    Since when has anything the government has had any involvement in been a success?

    Soon he will move on and someone else who is just incapable of the job will be put in till he cocks it up. So it’s pretty much the natural order of things in SA.

    Reply

  19. Hammersteyn

    March 6, 2014 at 15:30

    Couldn’t even comment on this because ESKOM. What dafuq is the government doing!!!

    Reply

  20. Gareth L (That Guy)

    March 6, 2014 at 16:00

    Is that dude in the background drinking a bottle of milk?

    Reply

    • neilhza

      March 6, 2014 at 16:53

      Stay classy.

      Reply

      • Gareth L (That Guy)

        March 7, 2014 at 07:32

        LOL!

        Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      March 7, 2014 at 08:09

      HAHAHHAHA

      Reply

  21. Skyblue

    March 6, 2014 at 19:41

    Colingate – call Carte Blanche, this is far better than 90% of the stuff they report on.

    Reply

  22. Charl van der Merwe

    March 7, 2014 at 08:03

    hahaha Gavin, you sure have high hopes. My bet is the guy is joining to make sure that South African eSports Association is not overstepping it’s bounds over the AUTHORITY that the MSSA has over eSports.Just to keep tabs and make sure they are taking on duties that the MSSA should be doing.

    Then when when you least expect it, they gonna hit them with litigation, cease and desist or warnings.

    Prove me wrong MSSA.

    T

    Reply

  23. Rags

    March 7, 2014 at 08:47

    He already made it clear. He does not give a shit about the gamers. I won’t hold my breath and I will doubt the sincerity of anything he will now say.

    Reply

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