Why Venter’s Taking on the MSSA

After a series of articles on Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) ongoing dispute with Ria Venter, many gamers may be wondering why Ria Venter is taking on the federation. The dispute is a complicated one, and as a result, Venter’s goals may not be immediately clear. Do Gaming therefore asked Venter to outline the issues in short.

Venter says her dispute with the MSSA can be broken into three main thrusts: first she is holding them accountable for questions she has asked, which she says they continue to delay in answering.

Secondly she is insistent that process be followed to resolve the issues and intends to challenge the MSSA on the validity of its processes. And thirdly she is fighting for gamers to help grow the industry.

Breaking it down: The questions

Venter maintains that the real reason for her suspension (which she contests is invalid) is that she asked questions which the MSSA did not want to answer.

Do Gaming covered these questions in this article and here they are again:

... it has come to Do Gaming’s attention that Venter has asked a number of questions of the MSSA, namely what the MSSA will do in the next year to:

• Change its image within the community.
  
• Promote e-Sports within South Africa.
  
• Obtain funding for such activities.
  
• Address public opinion of the MSSA.

MSSA processes the big hurdle

Venter maintains that the MSSA has used its processes to stonewall any person or organisation which tries to engage with the federation but does not fall in line with the federation’s way of doing things.

“The federation should be transparent and gamers deserve answers to these questions. I am not the first one to ask such questions, yet the MSSA has taken a similar approach with everyone who has asked for this kind of information. Their processes and their constitution are simply not comprehensive enough,” she says.

She cites the mistakes made in the voting process; the lack of minutes from the annual general meeting in December some three months later; the fact it has taken three months for the MSSA to acknowledge her appeal; and the MSSA’s reasoning for her suspension (which she is fighting); as some examples of the MSSA’s poor process.

“However, no one has ever followed it through and challenged the MSSA until they get answers because the process is so drawn out and complicated that engaging with the federation is almost impossible,” she says.

For the gamers

Venter says the gaming industry is massive in South Africa, bigger than most people realise, something Do Gaming has written about before.

Venter says gamers have also tried to fight to part ways with the MSSA before, with Gamers Unite being a great example.

While this initiative garnered over 650 signatures, the organisers were unable to carry the initiative through due to other commitments they had. As a result, a constitution and committee were never formed for Gamers Unite.

However Venter maintains that someone has to pick up the gamers' cause and fight for it.

“Someone has to fight to help the gaming community grow and to resolve gamers’ unhappiness with the MSSA once and for all. I intend to do just that,” she says.