Nandi Madida creates safe haven for women on The Motherhood Network podcast

News24

12-05-2025

Motherhood is no walk in the park.
Every stage of it brings different challenges and struggles just as it brings out-of-this-world joy. Many women wear the title with pride while others even draw strength from it.
One best known to slay motherhood is media personality and mother of two, Nandi Madida.
To her, motherhood is 'humanity'.
'It's knowing that you have a contribution to create what hopefully will be incredibly human beings in this earth and that responsibility is an honour. We really hold humanity, we give birth to humanity, it's everything.'
Contrary to what's dominating in the public domain currently, Nandi has always wanted to be a mother.
'I loved journaling growing up and I recently found the journal I used when I was in grade 11, 21 years ago. I was going through it with my husband, and it was so funny because I came across a part where I said I'd like to have a son called Shaka.'
She chuckles as she tells Drum that years later, like Queen Nandi of the Zulu kingdom, she has a Shaka who's almost nine years old, just as she manifested it.
With both her pregnancy with Shaka and Nefertiti, she admits that her life has changed for the better.
Although they both came as surprises, she was ecstatic about carrying her blessings.
Reminiscing on her pregnancy with Nefertiti, she shares with Drum how she was in the bathroom in her old house when her husband, Zakes Bantwini gave her the biggest hug and told her how he wishes it would be a girl so that they wrap up the package of blessings.
Her biggest challenges on her motherhood journey have included digging deep within herself to work on her emotional intelligence while trying as much as possible to keep the romantic spark alive with her spouse, especially in the early stages, just after birth.
'After finding that rhythm, you feel like a winner. From a medical perspective, there's having to seek advice when you realise that you have a child who has a different way of thinking and doing things. I wouldn't say it's a challenge, but it is more of an awakening,' she adds.
Having been someone who's lived with ADHD, she's learned a lot about neurodivergence and was more than happy to take on the task of mothering children living with autism and ADHD.
'I've always been transparent about my daughter mainly because I also wanted to normalise it. You'd be shocked to learn that a lot of people are undiagnosed neurodivergent. There's a whole world of people who haven't been diagnosed and there's a whole lot of diagnoses now with more information at their disposal. Me opening up, unintentionally made a lot of other parents comfortable with opening up about their journeys.'
That brought a sense of comfort as she became a haven and sounding board for a lot of parents out there. Despite being the one leading the conversation about her children's conditions, there's nothing she wants more than for both of them to own their stories one day and tell them to inspire people.
Through it all, her own mother, Thandeka Mngoma poured into her cup.
'She has naturally been a key figure in my life and I'm forever grateful for that. I love how honest she was about both the negative and positive sides of motherhood. She always provided a space for us to have uncomfortable conversations, and I really appreciated that.'
It is from this that she saw it befitting to launch a podcast focused on motherhood, titled The Motherhood Network which premiered on Mother's Day, 11 May with media mogul, Basetsana Kumalo joining her as the first guest.
'It's long overdue from my side. I was interested in launching something during covid, but I felt like I hadn't been a mother long enough. I just wanted to experience longer and have a sense of comfort in being able to impart knowledge from not only my experiences but also other people's experiences, in a more mature, motherly perspective.
'As much as we're celebrating mothers, we'll also speak about the reality that comes with having triggers like not having a mother who was healthy for them, who was there for them, so we speak about the mother wound as well. I'm passionate about that as much as I am about celebrating incredible mothers who've been able to inspire the next generation as well,' she adds.
Dr. Judy Dlamini, Chancellor of Wits University and author and Dr. Nellie Balfour, one of South Africa's leading paediatricians are some of the guests that will be coming up on the podcast as people embrace the navigation of motherhood on the podcast.