Thabiso Mhlongo and Mbali Gudazi’s road to South Africa’s national comedy call-up
The pair are among the comedians selected for Savanna Serves Bafunny Bafunny: South Africa's Festival of Comedy, led by Trevor Noah.
Thabiso Mhlongo and Mbali Gudazi are among the local talent chosen for Savanna Serves Bafunny Bafunny: South Africa’s Festival of Comedy. The festival, a national arena tour hosted by Trevor Noah, will commence at SunBet Arena in Pretoria on September 4-5 and continue to Suncoast in Durban on September 19 and GrandWest in Cape Town on September 25-26.
Mhlongo and Gudazi will join Eugene Khoza, Lindy Johnson, Panch Gasela and international comedian Learnmore Jonasi on stage. The Citizen spoke with Mhlongo and Gudazi about their paths to comedy and the significance of being selected for the national team. Mhlongo discovered stand-up comedy through a high school friend, Thokozani Dhlongolo, whose introduction to the art form sparked his interest.
He credits the shared laughter of audiences with him as the moment he realized his fascination with comedy was more than just a phase. Mhlongo expressed that his involvement in the Savanna festival was a validation of his talents, acknowledging that it feels special to be recognized as "national team" material. He also humorously pointed out the financial implications, stating he is now beginning to understand the business side of comedy.
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