Trevor Noah is bringing comedy back home

Updated April 28, 2026, 8:54 a.m. | By Danny Guselli

Trevor Noah is back and he’s reviving SA comedy with Bafunny Bafunny.

Bafunny Bafunny header — Bafunny Bafunny

South Africa, your funny bone better be warmed up.

According to GoodThingsGuy, Trevor Noah is officially coming back home, and he’s not just popping in for a quick laugh.

He’s launching something way bigger: a full-on comedy revival.

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Welcome to the “Bafunny Bafunny” era

Trevor, alongside Eugene Khoza and Ntosh Madlingozi, has announced a brand-new movement: “South Africa’s Festival of Comedy”; proudly served by Savanna.

“Bafunny Bafunny” is the nickname (and honestly, it slaps), but the mission is serious: bring stand-up comedy in South Africa back to life!

He’s making it louder, prouder, and funnier than ever.

Why now?

When COVID hit, live comedy didn’t die, it just lost its stage.

The jokes were still there, but the energy, the crowds, the “I can’t breathe from laughing” moments were gone.

Now, Trevor and the squad are flipping the script. This isn’t your typical sit-down-and-clap festival.
Think:

Comedy meets sport-style competition
National pride… but with punchlines
A “call-up” for South Africa’s funniest talent

Trevor is stepping in as Lead Curator and Captain of this comedy “national team,” with Eugene as Vice Captain and Ntosh as Coach. It’s giving Springboks, but make it hilarious.

It’s a nationwide comedy takeover

This isn’t a one-night-only vibe. From May to September, the festival will roll out across the country with:

Tour stops
Squad reveals
Behind-the-scenes content

Then comes the big stage moments:

SunBet Arena (Opening in September)
GrandWest Casino (Follow-up shows)

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When do tickets drop?

Tickets go live on 29 April at 9AM exclusively on Quicket.

This isn’t just about one festival; it’s about rebuilding South African comedy from the ground up by supporting smaller shows, discovering new voices and filling venues again.

As Eugene put it: "don’t wait for the big shows, support the small ones too".

So, Trevor Noah isn’t just coming home. He’s coming back with a mission.

So yes, go to the festival, but also go to that random comedy night down the road.

Laugh louder, clap harder and support local.

If (when) this works… we’re not just watching comedy, we’re witnessing a full-blown South African comedy comeback.