Celebrities
Nandi Madida sparks debate after defending Black men under financial pressure
Nandi Madida has found herself at the centre of a wide-ranging conversation on money, expectations and gender roles after appearing on the L-Tido Podcast.
The episode, which premiered on YouTube on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, gained fresh momentum online after a clip was shared on X.
The snippet quickly went viral, drawing strong reactions from South African men who said Madida’s words reflected their everyday reality, while others criticised her remarks.
During the discussion, Madida addressed what she described as deep-rooted systemic challenges that make financial stability especially difficult for Black men.
She said: “In a very genuine way, seriously, our Black men have gone through so much and financially, it’s almost impossible to try to empower yourself, even when you try. The system is against you. People don’t have government support. You have 400 years of being oppressed. Where is this money going to come from?”
She urged women to approach relationships with greater empathy and more realistic expectations, arguing that intention and effort matter just as much as financial status.
“We do have to give fellow Black men grace. If you can see the intention is to do better and make something serious, that’s a good guy. I mean that genuinely,” Madida said, adding that she was speaking specifically from a South African perspective. “What you guys are up against?”
Madida also pointed to social media as a major source of added pressure, saying it promotes the idea that struggle equals failure.
According to her, the constant “get the bag” narrative ignores the realities many people face daily.
“Now there’s more pressure because of social media. This misconception that there should be no struggle, get the bag, get the bag, that’s not realistic in the real world,” she said. “In the everyday world, you try the best you can.”
Someone please tell grootman Zakes Bantwini to marry her again even if he can pay triple lobola money this time. 😍😊 pic.twitter.com/wWviy4ie9o
— Levers_V_Manganye (@VillageGuluva) January 29, 2026
