• Thabang Moshoeshoe runs a gaming centre inside a local printing shop in Kwa-Thema where he helps kids play video games.

• The young man wants to open two or three gaming spaces in Ekurhuleni to give kids a safe place today.

Thabang "Wadikwena" Moshoeshoe is turning video games into a serious job for himself and the youth in Springs in Ekurhuleni.

He is a gaming content creator who teaches young people how to make money in the eSports industry.

He runs a gaming hub with his partner Lesego Kotu.

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The hub sits inside a digital printing shop on Thema Road in Kwa-Thema.

Moshoeshoe brings his own consoles to the space so kids can play.

"People think it's a waste of time, but it can actually help you," he said.

Moshoeshoe grew up playing FIFA and Tekken. When the lockdown started, he began posting interviews with gamers on Instagram.

This grew into his platform called Crowd Control GCE. Today, he spends three to five hours a day playing games on his PlayStation or computer.

He records the games, edits the videos and posts the highlights online. Moshoeshoe says township youth miss out on big opportunities because they lack resources.

He tells young people to start with just a phone.

"Stream on TikTok, post your content, and grow your audience," he said.

He says the industry offers jobs for players, commentators, photographers and video creators.

The journey has not been easy. Moshoeshoe lost a gaming console when a former friend borrowed it and never brought it back.

This stopped him from creating content for a long time. His current problem is finding enough space.

The Kwa-Thema gaming hub is too small for his big plans. He wants to open two or three new hubs across Ekurhuleni.

He says these spaces will give kids a safe place to play games, learn skills and finish their school work.