BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA (INTERN)
MBABANE– Rising Eswatini comedian Thabiso Malinga, popularly known as Ali-Gospel, is using silent comedy and relatable township humour to entertain thousands across social media daily.
At 30 years old, Ali-Gospel has already built a strong online presence with over 437 000 followers on Facebook and 79 100 followers on TikTok. Originally from Bhunya, he grew up in Zombodze where he attended Zombodze High School and still lives today.
He described Zombodze as a peaceful place that is not overcrowded and conveniently located near towns such as Mbabane, Manzini, Matsapha and Ezulwini. According to him, this helps his content reach more people while also making collaborations easier.
The comedian explained that his stage name carries a positive meaning. “Ali” means great while “Gospel” stands for good news, which together represent someone bringing positive energy.
Ali-Gospel discovered his talent while still at school. He said whenever he raised his hand in class, learners would become excited because they expected a funny response. In 2016, he began creating funny dress styles and unique ideas that entertained fellow pupils, which later inspired him to pursue comedy seriously.
His content mainly focuses on silent comedy where he acts as a “Para”, portraying the lifestyle and funny behaviour of people who smoke in local communities. He said he enjoys making people laugh and showing everyday struggles in a humorous way.
The comedian said creators such as Gogo and Silwane inspired him to start content creation. Seeing them succeed in Eswatini gave him confidence that art could also become a successful career. In 2023, he raised money to begin producing content before officially starting his comedy journey in 2024.
Ali-Gospel has performed in different places within and outside Eswatini and shared the stage with personalities such as Siphiwo Ndoni. He has also worked alongside local comedians including Mr Wandi, Mbholofidi, Pepe, Shodi, Sewakhile Comedy and Pesuu De Comedian.
He currently works closely with his younger sister, Zethu Malinga, who helps shoot his videos while he edits the content himself. Ali-Gospel also revealed that they are preparing for a comedy event on June 6 alongside Pepe, Mr Wandi, Pesuu and Sewakhile.
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(Courtesy Pic)
