The 2025 Curro Esports Indaba, held from 6 to 8 March at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa, cemented its status as South Africa’s premier event, bringing together leaders in gaming, education, and technology to shape the future of Esports. Please find the press release below. Let us know if you need any further information or high images. 2025 Curro Esports Indaba: Shaping the future of gaming and education

12 March 2025: The 2025 Curro Esports Indaba has cemented its place as South Africa’s leading Esports education event for the third time, bringing together top experts in gaming, education, and technology industries for a thought-provoking and engaging experience.

Held from 6 to 8 March 2025 at Future Africa, University of Pretoria, the event featured an impressive lineup of speakers, interactive sessions, and discussions that explored the evolving Esports landscape in South Africa and beyond.

‘Esports is more than just gaming – it’s a gateway to equipping learners with future-ready skills that translate into real-world success’, says Magdeleen de Kock, Curro Esports Project Manager. ‘At the Curro Esports Indaba, we’re equipping teachers and coaches with the tools to help learners thrive in a digital world while ensuring Curro remains at the forefront of Esports education in South Africa.’

For three action-packed days, 170 teachers, Esports coaches, school managers, tech leaders, and Esports professionals from all over South Africa and Namibia came together to share knowledge, learn new skills, and – of course – play some games!

Technology and the future of Esports: The Indaba opened with discussions on the intersection of technology and professional gaming. Busisiwe Masango (Goliath Gaming) and Glenn du Toit (Country manager of Acer Africa) explored this in ‘Tech industry meets professional Esports’, looking at how technological advancements are shaping the industry.

Du Toit delivered a keynote on ‘Building an AI framework: Developing a relevant generation’, highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in preparing Esports professionals for the future. ‘When cognitive skills (powered by AI) become a commodity, our product changes to one where our ability to be relevant is our differentiator. This differentiator is not driven through technology, it’s about being more human!’ he said.

Practical skills and career pathways: Throughout the indaba, breakaway sessions covered a range of essential topics, including LAN setup, coaching strategies, tournament hosting, and content creation. Julia ‘Bish’ Robson (brand ambassador for Acer Africa), led a session on streaming and Esports identity, while Ruan Kruger, aka ‘Daddy_COol’, facilitated an advanced Valorant coaching workshop. Nick Holden (co-owner of the African Cyber Gaming League – ACGL) and some of the best local South African shoutcasters (Ultrism and Daddy_Cool) concluded the first day with a pro-level session on what it takes to be a professional shoutcaster.

A discussion led by Stephen Reid and Heather Drolet (Endless) on how game development skills prepare learners for real-world careers, emphasised how gaming fosters creativity, problem-solving, and digital literacy. ‘It was so powerful to see teachers being so eager to learn how to move their learners from consumer, to creator, to contributor, to career,’ Reid said. ‘Thank you, Curro, for giving your teachers this opportunity.’

Breakaway sessions focused on key themes such as shoutcasting, playing strategies, game design, building learners’ identity, and team leadership. Johan van Lill (Curro Learning and Development) explored ‘The benefit of play’, highlighting how competitive gaming supports learner development. He later led a discussion on ‘Mental health strategies for pro coaches and players’, underlining the importance of well-being in high-performance Esports environments.

The future of Esports in South Africa

As the event drew to a close, industry leaders looked ahead at what’s next for Esports in the country. Holden (ACGL) led a session titled ‘Esports in South Africa: What to expect in 2025 and beyond’. A plenary session with Kerry-Ann van der Merwe (SASEA Exco member, teacher at Steyn City Schools) and JH Stolz (SASEA Exco member from Paul Roos Gymnasium) outlined ‘SASEA: Aligning Esports for schools’, offering a roadmap for integrating competitive gaming into educational environments.

A growing legacy in Esports education

‘By combining cutting-edge technology, education, and community development, the 2025 Curro Esports Indaba proved that Esports is more than just a game – it’s a vital educational tool for mainstream education, skill development, and future career opportunities,’ says De Kock. ‘This event reinforced Curro’s commitment to digital learning and set the stage for Esports to become a key driver of learner engagement and career readiness in South Africa.’