iVaskom Comedy Show pays homage to King

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In an industry in which funding often makes or breaks a show, the iVaskom Comedy Event has spent the last decade proving that talent and community support can do it alone.

Founded in 2016 by Qonce-born comedian Luphelo Kodwa, iVaskom started as a local platform to uplift homegrown comedians.

More than a decade later, it has grown into one of the Eastern Cape’s most consistent stand-up brands — and it’s done every show without external funding.

True to his roots, Kodwa is taking the 10th anniversary celebrations to Qonce this Friday at the King Club.

He will join a jam-packed line-up including veteran comedian Ta Mrojana, Siya Seya and popular YouTube actors and comedians Phanjile and Liya Nqaba and Ngcaphephe to tickle the funny bones of the audience.

“This milestone means a lot for our industry, especially here in the Eastern Cape.

“For us to have a stand-up comedy event that celebrates 10 years of introducing new acts and working with well-established comedians — and all this was done without funding.

“It has been self-funded for 10 years,” Kodwa said.

The 52nd edition of SA’s flagship arts gathering will return to Makhanda next month with organisers promising a more immersive and collaborative experience for audiences. The National Arts Festival, which runs from June 25 to July 5, is expected to bring more than 2,000 artists and thousands of visitors to the Eastern Cape town for 270-plus performances, exhibitions and productions. Organisers said this year’s programme would place greater emphasis on audience participation and creative collaboration, with festivalgoers encouraged to engage more directly in the artistic process. “This year’s programme responds to the nexus of creativity and technology, emerging systems and collaborative world-building as the global ground moves beneath our feet,” the festival’s artistic director, Rucera Seethal, said. “We’ve blurred the lines between audience and artist to deepen the immersive, offline experience.” Alongside the traditional Curated and Fringe programmes, this year’s festival will introduce creation laboratories where audience members can work alongside artists, while a free conversation stage will host public talks and discussions throughout the event. The organisers said several Fringe collectives would also establish creative hubs across Makhanda for the duration of the festival. The Fringe programme has received support through a grant from the department of sports, arts and culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy initiative, allowing for workshops, networking opportunities and professional development events for participating artists. The festival will again recognise standout Fringe productions through the Ovation Awards. Music is expected to play a big role in this year’s programme, with a dedicated music venue being introduced at the Great Hall, while the Monument’s free daily Sundowner performances are set to return at 5pm each day. Both festival weekends will also feature major headline music acts. Film, literature and the visual arts will continue to feature strongly, with organisers introducing a curated film programme focused on “bold, visionary storytelling”. The Eastern Cape Showcase is expected to spotlight local talent through theatre, jazz, dance, music and craft exhibitions, while the popular LitFest programme will bring writers and public thinkers into the festival programme. The Eastern Cape sport, recreation, arts and culture department remains one of the festival’s core sponsors. The Village Green is again expected to host food stalls, crafts and family entertainment, including a free pop-up Playhouse Stage in partnership with the Playhouse Theatre and the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex According to the South African Cultural Observatory, the festival generated R57m for Makhanda and R131.8m for the Eastern Cape economy in 2024. The Black Power Station is also set to return with a programme centred on emerging and underground music and cultural conversations. Festival organisers said the full programme would be announced on May 12, with ticket sales opening on May 20. Among the highlights will be performances and exhibitions from this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Awards recipients, including jazz artist Gabi Motuba, theatre-maker Jason Jacobs, dancer Lee-Ché Janeke, musician Ndumiso Manana and visual artist Bronwyn Katz. The Village Green is again expected to host food stalls, crafts and family entertainment, including a free pop-up Playhouse Stage in partnership with the Playhouse Theatre and the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex. Organisers said accommodation establishments in Makhanda were already experiencing strong bookings ahead of the festival. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone Daily Dispatch

iVaskom has hosted comedy shows across SA, but its heart has always been in Buffalo City.

Notable milestones include back-to-back sold-out shows at East London’s Orient Theatre in 2018 and 2019.

More recently, iVaskom packed Hemingways Casino twice in 2023, with each show pulling a full house of 780 people, followed by a sold-out show on Valentine’s Day this year.

Kodwa said what set iVaskom apart was its structure: 98% of the line-up was made up of artists from the Eastern Cape, with just 2% reserved for national comedians.

“The formula keeps local voices front and centre while giving them a chance to share the stage and trade notes with bigger names,” he said.

The 10-year celebrations kicked off on February 14 at Hemingways Casino with a fresh line-up and a fully booked show.

Kodwa said the plan now was to expand the latest run to more than five shows to enable more Eastern Cape comics to get stage time.

“iVaskom Comedy Show is going back to King, where it all started — iQonce has been the hope of the iVaskom Comedy Show,” he said.

He said over the years, the brand had built a reputation for high-quality entertainment, the discovery of new talent and community engagement.

“More than just a night of laughs, iVaskom positions itself as a cultural platform that reflects the authentic voices and stories of the Eastern Cape.”

Zozibini “Zozi” Tunzi is poised to make her mark in the film and TV industry as she joins Top Billing’s 2026 comeback season on SABC3. She is among the new lineup of presenters on the show, including Miss South Africa 2023 runner-up Bryoni Govender, actor Arno Greeff, and voiceover artist Sine Mpulu. Hailing from the small village of Sidwadweni, near Tsolo, in the Eastern Cape, Zozi told TshisaLIVE that being on the small screen has been a lifelong dream for her, as she used to watch YoTV as a child and shows such as Top Billing in her adulthood. “Even before I became the Zozi that everyone knows, it has definitely been something I wanted to do from a very young age. I’ve always been obsessed with TV, presenting, and acting. I loved reading books and watching TV, which is all I ever did besides playing outside,” she said. “I would watch the shows, having no idea how I would ever get there.” She has been on a quiet pursuit to venture into TV. Zozi’s first time outside the village was when she went to study public relations at Cape Peninsula University of Technology. While studying, she juggled acting auditions as well. “When I got to the city for the first time for my varsity, there used to be this link that I would look for on Google; it used to have casting news. “I went through a lot of castings in my varsity career. Had the best time doing that. So many rejections along the way. It was always just so exciting to even pursue auditions.” But it wasn’t until she was crowned as Miss South Africa in 2019 that her life changed. In the same year, she was crowned Miss Universe and made history as the longest-reigning Miss Universe, holding the title for over a year and five months. In 2022, Zozi made her acting debut in the American film The Woman King. She later returned to the screen, playing the character of Naomi in the South African Netflix series Bad Influencer in 2025. “I was like a duck paddling all these years, and it’s so beautiful to see how everything has panned out. My six years as a public figure have taught me so much. It has prepared me for this. I’m an artist, a performer; so many rejections along the way.” Now that she’s finally made it, she hopes to pursue more opportunities in the film and TV industry. The industry has taken a hard knock in recent years, and Zozi said that as she builds a career in the space, she is not oblivious to the struggles of others trying to break into the film and TV industry and wants their voices to be amplified. “It’s such a sad reality when you think of the marches that are happening. I feel it’s not taken as seriously as it should. People watch TV all the time to be entertained by actors and other personalities. It brings so much revenue in the country, but it does not reflect on how they are getting paid. I do hope cries of South African artists will be heard eventually. “There are so many things in the pipeline. I’m not going to lie, I am very busy at the moment, but I do try my best to juggle my personal life and my work.” TimesLIVE

With the Buffalo City Metro positioning itself as a tourism and cultural hub, iVaskom is determined to make its 10th year its biggest yet.

Kodwa said the aim was to develop capacity for local comedians and performers, create networking opportunities, provide mentorship through interaction with national artists and promote the participation of young people in the arts.

He said iVaskom provided a positive platform for storytelling and expression, encouraged social cohesion through shared entertainment experiences and built confidence and career pathways for emerging artists

“iVaskom is more than just entertainment — it is a catalyst for cultural development, tourism growth and economic stimulation within the Eastern Cape."

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