Gamer, Writer, Presenter, Producer

When Pippa Tshabalala started presenting The Verge, South Africa’s first locally produced show about video games, someone online called her a “pretty-faced bitch”. She didn’t let it lie: “I have a master’s degree in animation and just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I don’t understand the industry,” she shot back. “A lot of people came around after that.” It’s frustrating, says Tshabalala, who has been gaming since she was 10, that people still don’t realise that the average gamer is not a pubescent white boy. But she’s not interested in preaching to the ignorant, she’s too busy navigating her busy schedule. She is brand ambassador for Adidas and writes for NAG, Gamecca, Gladget, Girl Guides, Obrigado and Gearburn. Since The Verge ended she’s been working behind the scenes as an online producer, but she can’t wait to get back to presenting. “I realised that not only do I enjoy presenting, I’m good at.”

— Joonji Mdyogolo

Twitter: @UnexpectedPippa Blog: pippatshabalala.blogspot.com