Telkom congratulates Kitsune on being crowned the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming Masters Counter Strike champions after defeating HighBorn 3–0 in the grand finale at Comic Con Africa in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The final brought an exciting weekend of competitive esports to a close, with Kitsune producing a composed performance across all three maps to claim the title at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.
The victory adds another Telkom VS Gaming Masters title to Kitsune’s record, with several members of the team celebrating their third tournament victory.
Congratulating the winner on their remarkable achievement, Telkom Senior Manager: Content and Gaming, Johann Von Backström, said:
“Congratulations to Kitsune on a well-deserved victory and another impressive performance at the Telkom VS Gaming Masters. Their preparation, consistency and ability to perform when it matters most were evident throughout the final. We are proud to support a platform that gives South African esports players the opportunity to compete at this level, and we congratulate the entire team on a memorable achievement.”
Kitsune’s Wiljahne Smith said the team’s preparation throughout the year had played an important role in their success.
“It’s always an elating feeling to win at the Comic Con Africa finals because we work really hard throughout the year to qualify for this. It means a lot to us, and for most of us, this is our third time winning this tournament,” said Smith.
The team’s experience competing in European esports tournaments has also exposed its players to a high level of competition, while regular training and preparation helped the team maintain its focus ahead of the final.
The 2026 Telkom VS Gaming Masters Counter Strike competition concluded alongside the Telkom VS Gaming High School Esports League Counter Strike competition at Comic Con Africa, which ran from 24 to 27 September.
St John’s College were crowned the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming High School Esports League Counter Strike champions, bringing together two competition winners across different levels of the local esports landscape.
Telkom continues to support the development of esports in South Africa through Telkom VS Gaming, creating opportunities for players to compete, develop their skills and build careers within the rapidly growing industry.
