Money conversations are not easy to have, but Nedbank is using laughter to start the difficult conversations about money South Africans often avoid. The brand recently hosted The Money Roast, headlined by Roast Master Celeste Ntuli and an all-star line-up that included Kensi Nobanda, Mojak Lehoko, Cassidy ‘Constantia Mom’ Nicholson, Gugulethu Mfuphi and Vafa Naraghi.
By putting the country’s relationship with money in the hot seat, the event created a relatable space to examine the emotions, social pressures, and learned behaviours that shape how people earn, spend, save, borrow, and support others.
South Africans talk about money every day, from the cost of living, salaries, and interest rates to school fees, debt, the cost of groceries, and the petrol price. Yet, the relationship beneath these conversations is rarely explored: how money makes us feel and why we behave the way we do with it.
‘The Money Roast was designed to bring the hidden dynamics of our money behaviours into the open in a way South Africans can relate to,’ said Khensani Nobanda, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Nedbank. ‘Money is part of our everyday conversation, but the feelings and behaviours behind it often remain unspoken. Humour has made it easier for people to recognise themselves in the conversation. When we can laugh at the habits and pressures that shape our money choices, we can begin talking about them more honestly.’
The event took the form of a genuine comedy roast, led by a toastmaster, and featured a panel of popular South African personalities who highlighted familiar money behaviours. The guest of honour was not a person, but South Africa’s relationship with money. This format allowed uncomfortable truths about financial anxiety, family obligations, and social expectations to surface using candour and humour.
Laughter opened the way for a deeper discussion grounded in Nedbank’s Money Relationships Report. Drawing on the 2025 NedFinHealth Monitor, the report explores both the financial progress working South Africans are making and the emotions that continue to complicate their financial lives. Although 46% of the respondents feel financially better off than they did a year ago, money remains the biggest source of stress for 51%, while 37% still find it embarrassing to ask for financial help. The report also shows that practical habits matter: 71% of the respondents have a monthly household budget, and budgeters are more likely than non-budgeters to spend less than they earn and experience lower levels of financial stress.
NEDBANK
https://group.nedbank.co.za
