'BaFunny BaFunny' tour set to bring top local comedy talent to stages across SA

South Africans are in for belly aching laughter through Savanna’s inaugural South Africa’s Festival of Comedy (SAFC).

The live stand-up comedy tour will showcase the best and emerging comedic talent that the country boasts of.

SAFC, also dubbed “BaFunny BaFunny” - a play on the national soccer team, Bafana Bafana - is led by team captain and award-winning comedian Trevor Noah, alongside vice-captain and What Now? podcast co-host Eugene Khoza, and coach, sought-after comedian Ntosh Madlingozi.

The trio of stand-up comedians have put together a preliminary squad of stand-up comedians who will hit the big stages for five shows and in three cities.

Although kick off will be at the SunBet Arena on 5th September 2026 in Pretoria, followed by the GrandWest Casino on 26th September 2026 in Cape Town, more dates, venues and new additions to the squad will be announced between May leading up to game time.

Speaking about what inspired the festival, lead curator, Noah said: “I think South African comedy has seen itself grow over the years. We’ve seen amazing comedians [and] in some parts of the country there is a burgeoning scene that’s really robust and we’re trying to make sure that that happens all over the country and not just in one part”.

The starting line-up so far includes some of the most coveted and award winning acts including the Western Cape’s Lindy Johson, Mpumalanga’s Thabiso Mhlongo, Gauteng’s Panch Gasela from Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal’s Mbali Gudazi.

“We love comedy too much. We think, talk and dream comedy and the line-up needs to reflect how we feel about comedy. We wanted the audiences, in their thousands, to feel what it feels like to be in a room of funny people which is why we decided to assemble this squad for the country,” Madlingozi said.

He added that it was a no-brainer to have a team of acts who are not only funny and talented but are, most importantly, passionate about the art.

“These are the best four people who I thought we need to introduce to the South African market more in terms of their stand-up [comedy]. Because, everything else that they’re doing started because of stand-up [comedy]”, he said.

“Every single comedian who is there is somebody who has worked to be there”, Noah added.

Tickets for the festival go live on Wednesday, 29th April 2026 on Quicket.