Nandi Madida: Biography, Age, Husband, Sister, Children, Parents

Nandi Madida (born 20 March 1988; née Mngoma) is a South African singer and actress. She rose to fame after featuring on DJ Franky’s single “Tonight” in 2011.

Table of Contents

Madida released her debut album “Nandi” in September 2012 and her first music video, “Goodtimes” in February 2013. She owns the fashion label “Colour”.

Nandi Madida
Nandi Madida wears many hats as an actress, singer, podcaster, and TV presenter.
Name:	Nandi Madida
Born:	20 March 1988 (age 37 years old)
Place of birth:	Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal
Nationality:	South African
Parents:	Thamsanqa Mngoma (father) Thandeka Mngoma (mother)
Education:	Law
Alma mater:	University of KwaZulu-Natal Varsity College
Occupation:	Singer, model, actress, television personality
Years active:	2004–date
Instrument:	Vocals
Spouse:	Zakes Bantwini (m. 2016)
Children:	Shaka (son) Nefertiti (daughter)

Early Life

Nandi Mngoma was born on 20 March 1988 in Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her father, Thamsanqa Mngoma, worked as a doctor, while her mother, Thandeka Mngoma, worked in the courtroom.

She grew up in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, and began performing at the age of four. She has a younger sister, Langa Mngoma.

Education

Nandi attended Danville Park High School and sat for her matric in 2005. She wanted to pursue journalism, but a jaded journalist dissuaded her at a career exhibition. She then switched to studying law, first at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and later at Varsity College.

Career

Nandi Madida started her career at a very young age. She was cast as the lead ballerina in a ballet at the age of four. She did modelling and pageantry, winning many titles, including Miss Junior RSA.

After winning a talent search, Nandi landed a steady gig as a performer at the Gateway Mall, where she was introduced to music. She made her television debut as a host of the SABC2 pre-teen entertainment show Bling in 2004.

In 2010, Nandi entered the SABC1 presenter search for the music show LIVE and reached the finals. She eventually lost to Minnie Dlamini. She also entered the O-Access presenter search but lost to Dineo Moeketsi.

In 2011, she burst into the limelight after DJ Franky featured her in the single ‘Tonight’. She released her first album, “Nandi”, in September 2012. She later signed a music deal with Sony Music Entertainment Africa.

She released her single ‘Goodtimes’ in 2012 and worked with Zakes Bantwini on ‘Dance’ in 2015. She also collaborated with K.O. on the hits ‘Skhanda Love’ and ‘Say You Will’.

Nandi later released her single “Organic” under Sony Music, a song to challenge African women to love themselves. She appeared in the musical film and visual album ‘Black is King’.

She became a co-host of the Mzansi Magic magazine programme All Access Mzansi, alongside ProVerb and Dineo Ranaka in 2013. She starred as Zokuthula “Zoe” Dhlomo in the Mzansi Magic telenovela The Road from 2015 to 2016.

In 2016, Nandi joined Trevor Sineke to host season two of the e.tv reality series “Coke Studio” in August. She also launched her clothing line, Colour, where she sells ready-to-wear bespoke ladies’ suits.

In September 2016, Nandi joined Ayanda Thabethe to host the BET entertainment magazine show BET A-List. She was announced as the new face of iconic soap brand LUX in 2017. Her clothing line debuted at the New York Fashion Week in 2018.

Nandi Madida hosts The Motherhood Network, a podcast which features influential women in South Africa. It was named one of Apple Podcasts’ Best of 2025, six months after its launch.

Personal Life

Nandi Madida married Grammy-winner Zakes Bantwini in June 2016. They have two children, a son, Shaka, and a daughter, Nefertiti, who has been diagnosed with autism. She cut her hair and started growing it naturally in 2005.