Founded by Zukisa Festile, Malume Playground gaming centre has become a sanctuary of joy and inspiration in Kariega writes ELEANOR DOUGLAS-MEYERS.
Zukisa’s journey began in KwaNobuhle, where he was raised by his grandparents alongside his sisters. “My grandparents raised my sisters and me, and being the only boy, I did all the boys’ chores. It taught me responsibility early on,” he reflects.
The idea for Malume Playground sprouted in 2015 when Zukisa who refers to himself as a devoted father to his two children, Lihlombe and Limokuhle, and a proud uncle to many, moved into his late uncle’s house.
“A friend had bought a pre-owned PlayStation 2 console,” he recalls. “We played it day and night when we weren’t at work. My nephews watched eagerly, asking to play, but I usually said no.” Their persistent requests sparked an idea.
“They asked if they could pay to play, and that was the foundation of Malume Playground,” he explains. Recognizing the opportunity, Zukisa took an R20,000 personal loan to build Malume Playground, making it the first township gaming centre in the Eastern Cape.
Today, Malume Playground is a thriving interactive entertainment hub. “We specialize in gaming, esports events, and outdoor activities,” Zukisa says proudly. “Our platforms include gaming consoles, virtual reality, racing simulators, and putt-putt. Our motto, ‘We come to you, wherever and how small the event is,’ reflects our commitment to making gaming accessible to everyone.”
FIFA/EA FC has emerged as the most popular game at Malume Playground, with 90% of the kids favouring it. “When we started hosting esports tournaments in 2020, FIFA was the obvious choice,” Zukisa notes. Despite many gamers, few show interest in playing professionally. Efforts to host other titles like Street Fighter have seen less enthusiasm.
Malume Playground’s mission is to offer affordable gaming to the community. “Gaming is expensive, even for me,” Zukisa admits.
“Buying consoles and offering them at a reasonable price is challenging, but seeing the kids’ faces light up makes it worth it. I always tell them, ‘You can either spend your parents’ money to play here or use it to buy drugs, but if you choose drugs, you’ll never get that money back.’”
Looking ahead, Zukisa has ambitious plans. “We want to develop world champions through our esports organization, Malume Esport,” he says.
“The esports scene is still small in Africa, especially in South Africa. Our goal is to expand beyond Nelson Mandela Bay and reach the entire Eastern Cape. With the right infrastructure and resources, we can compete with Cape Town and Johannesburg.”
The journey hasn’t been without setbacks. In October 2021, Malume Playground was robbed, losing 80% of its equipment. “The community rallied around us, urging me to reopen,” Zukisa recalls. “When we first started, we went through controllers every fortnight because the kids didn’t know how to handle them. Over time, they’ve learned, and now controllers last for months, even years.”
As Malume Playground continues to grow, Zukisa is focused on expansion. “We want to move to the city to expand our reach and then plough back into the township,” he explains. “The township is too small for our dreams. We’re also working on making gaming affordable for almost every household, which will benefit parents too.”
One of Zukisa’s proudest moments was the 2nd annual Youth Day Esport Challenge. “One of the founders of Ekasi Esport, Mr Smilo Gosa, travelled from Soweto to attend our event,” he says with a grin. “Seeing someone I watched on TV and learned from online come to support us was incredible.”
Malume Playground collaborates closely with other local esports entities, including the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Center, for their High School Esport League. “The gaming scene is too small for competition; we work together,” Zukisa emphasizes. “Our annual high school esports league, Eyethu High School Esport League, is a great example of this collaboration.”
Committed to keeping pace with global gaming technology, Malume Playground now offers the latest FIFA game and PlayStation 5. “You should see the kids’ faces when they play; it’s pure joy,” Zukisa shares.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is straightforward: “Start small, build with what you can afford, and grow with your customers.” As Malume Playground looks to the future, expansion and possible franchising are on the horizon.
Zukisa invites all school gamers in Nelson Mandela Bay to join their high school esports tournament in August/September 2024. “It’s our 3rd year running, and we can’t wait to see new talent,” he says. For more information, follow Malume Playground on social media or contact them via WhatsApp at 0672060740 or email at info@malumeplayground.co.za.
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