By Mpho Modiba
GAWULA VILLAGE-Xitsonga comedian and entertainer Ntwanano Ngoveni affectionately known as Ntwanano waka Maraji was laid to rest on Sunday at Gawula village in Giyani.
Speaker after speaker praised Maraji for loving and entertaining people in his lifetime. He was a professional television producer and worked on award-winning television shows. Maraji was born on 08 August 1986. He is the son of Khazamula Veaks Ngoveni and Khobelela Priscilla Ngoveni.
He matriculated at Khetho Nxumalo Agricultural High School in 2003. He then went to Johannesburg where he managed to complete his Media Studies Diploma at Boston Media House in 2007. The Diploma was credited to the University of Johannesburg and he majored in Television Production and Advertising.
In 2008 he joined the Pick It Up At Night Squad where he was making records of refuse bags and trucks going in and out. Sometimes he was also a field worker. He worked for Ukhamba Communications as a data wrangler and Assistant Editor in the year 2008 from March to July. He also worked for Curious Pictures (currently named Quizical in 2008 from August to December. He was an Assistant Editor for some of SA’s Top TV brands such as The Lab, Rhythm City, Buddys of the Move, and The Big Break Legacy season. He further worked for Kagiso TV and Communications from January 2009 to June 2012.
In 2013 while herding his father’s cattle he got a call to join Tshedza Media as a production assistant. In 2014 Tshedza media promoted him to promo editor and post assistant. From 2015 to 2017 he was promoted again as an in-house media editor and post-production manager.
Maraji got nominated for several awards and won a SAFTA award. In December 2018 he went into partnership with Chavi CMC to create a verbal engineering night. This created a successful comedy night show. In 2019 he worked as an editor on a project called it takes a village by Teko Modise. One of the episodes was nominated for documentary awards in Italy.
In 2020 he edited I have faith, a reality show of Faith Nketsi on BET. He worked on a show called Love Island SA. From 2022 to 2023 he was working on Carol’s Odessey a Supersport and Showmax African show presented by Carol Shabalala.
He is survived by his spouse Nyathela Bridget Machimana and his four children Celeste Khwatsi, Ntokozo Orator, Angulo Nhlulo and Adzuniwe Ndzalo. He is also survived by his two siblings Kulani and Tsakisani Ngoveni. Ntwanano Ngoveni lived his life to the fullest and left an incredible mark.
