BHUNYA- Rising comedian Thabiso Malinga, popularly known as Ali-Gospel, is quickly becoming one of Eswatini’s most exciting comedy acts, using silent comedy and relatable township humor to win hearts across social media and live stages.
Originally from Bhunya but raised in Zombodze, where he still resides today, Ali-Gospel has built a strong following through creativity, consistency, and humor that reflects everyday life. His peaceful hometown, situated close to major towns such as Mbabane, Manzini, Ezulwini, and Matsapha, has played an important role in helping his content reach a wider audience and making collaborations more accessible.
The stage name “Ali-Gospel” carries a meaningful message. “Ali” means great, while “Gospel” represents good news, together symbolizing a powerful force bringing positivity and laughter to people.
Ali-Gospel says he discovered his comedic talent while still in school at Zombodze High School. Whenever he raised his hand to answer questions in class, learners would immediately become attentive because they expected a funny response. In 2016, while still in high school, his unique dressing style and humorous ideas constantly entertained fellow students, eventually making him realize that comedy was his true calling.
Known mainly for silent comedy, Ali-Gospel often plays the role of a “Para” in his skits, humorously portraying the lifestyle, struggles, and funny behavior of people who smoke in his community. His content has become popular for its relatable storytelling and expressive acting without relying heavily on dialogue.
The comedian credits popular creatives Gogo and Silwane as his biggest inspirations. Before becoming a content creator himself, he spent years admiring their dedication and success in the local entertainment industry.
“Many people believe art cannot succeed in Eswatini, but seeing people like Gogo and Silwane make it motivated me to believe I could also do it,” he shared.
In 2023, Ali-Gospel began raising funds to kickstart his comedy career, and by 2024 he officially launched his content creation journey.
Today, his main focus remains comedy as he hopes to make an even bigger impact in the entertainment industry. He has already performed on several stages both locally and internationally, saying live performances give him the chance to experience audience reactions in real time.
Among the biggest personalities he has shared a stage with is Siphiwo Ndoni, an experience he describes as inspiring because of Ndoni’s humility and professionalism.
Ali-Gospel has also collaborated with several well-known Eswatini comedians, including Mr Wandi, Mbholofidi, Pepe, Shodi, Sewakhile Comedy and Pesuu De Comedian.
The comedian revealed that they are currently preparing for a major event scheduled for June 6, 2026, alongside Pepe, Mr Wandi, Pesuu, and Sewakhile Comedy. Preparations include producing and promoting fresh content ahead of the show.
“I enjoy working with these guys because of their dedication and the love they have for each other,” he said.
Behind the scenes, Ali-Gospel personally handles most of his production work. His younger sister, Zethu Malinga, assists as his camera operator while he takes care of editing the videos himself.
His growing online presence continues to attract thousands of fans daily. On TikTok, Ali-Gospel has amassed over 79.1K followers under the name “Ali-Gospel,” while his Facebook page, “Bhuti Ali-Gospel,” has gained hundreds of thousands of followers where he consistently posts new content every day at 8PM.
Looking ahead, Ali-Gospel dreams of collaborating with some of the region’s biggest comedy names, including Silwane, Gogo, Cedric and Mdura, artists he deeply admires for their dedication and influence in the comedy industry.
With his originality, relatable humor, and rapidly growing fanbase, Ali-Gospel is proving that Eswatini’s next generation of comedy stars is already here, and he is certainly one to keep an eye on.
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