Hundreds of mourners who attended the funeral of well-known Phalaphala news reader Mbulungeni Mafenya were treated to a humorous programme.

The funeral service, held at the radio man’s house at Thohoyandou P West, drew hundreds of people, even though it was held on week day. The tent was full and hundreds braved the cold weather by standing outside the main tent, listening to long speeches. It was laughter all the way as speaker after speaker at the funeral reminded the mourners how Mbulungeni lived.

Mphaphuli was born on August 15, 1955, and was buried at the royal burial site at Malavuwe outside Thohoyandou on Friday.

Recordings of his news readings were played at the funeral, to the amusement of his myriads of his fans. When he laughed on the recording, almost all mourners broke into laughter.

His lifelong friend and colleague at Phalaphala FM, Mpho Nefale, said about his friend: “He was a jolly person who could laugh more heartily than what you hear.” Nefale said his friend was a good man. "Although we are saddened by his death, we accept it because he lived life to the full,” said Nefale.

His younger sister, Pandelani Budeli, left everyone in stitches when she spoke of how Mafenya loved broadcasting. “My brother was a very humorous and intelligent person."

A former school teacher, he joined the SABC in 1985. He joined the station when it was Radio Venda and later left for Radio Thohoyandou. When that station merged with Radio Phalaphala, he came back to Phalaphala until his death.

In 2007, he was voted by Phalaphala listeners, numbering more than 1-million, as the Best Newsreader of the Year.

The head of the SABC Limpopo combo, which comprises the three SABC stations in Limpopo, viz. Phalaphala, Munghana Lonene FM and Thobela FM, Victor Ravhuanzwa said the SABC was proud to have had someone like Mphaphuli. “He was a distinguished newsreader and he was always exemplary,” he said.

The head of the Mphaphuli clan, Gole Mphaphuli, said his fame had made the clan proud.