ABOUT NDUMISO LINDI

Ndumiso Lindi, the Gentleman of South African Comedy we know as the Roosta, is a brilliant and genuinely funny comedian. His intuition and intellect give him a firm grasp of his nation’s collective funny bone, and so he appeals to a huge spectrum of the population. Ndumiso is a celebrated comedian whose deep voice, sharp wit and cultural storytelling have made him a favourite on the biggest stages locally to festivals across Europe and the USA. From the first time you see Ndumiso, you can’t help but feel good. Whether watching him live or in a TV special, his infectious charm and authenticity leaves audiences laughing from deep within.

Ndumiso delivers his special blend of comedy magic not only to a local audience, his comedy has travelled far beyond South Africa’s borders. He has graced stages across Africa from Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya . He’s also played and earned rave reviews in the UK and USA. A highlight to Ndumiso’s comedy career was being invited to perform at the prestigious Montreux Comedy Festival in Switzerland.

“There is nothing like doing comedy at home but playing for an international audience teaches me to work harder. I have to work to make my jokes accessible in different countries, making sure an international audience can connect to me too,” says Ndumiso.

Ndumiso comes with over 20 years of experience in the comedy industry, he comes highly recommended and a sought-after act when it comes to Mc'ing corporate events, Awards night, gala dinners and private functions. This Funny man has handled events for big corporations like Coca-cola, Mercedes Benz, South African Tourism, Santam, Absa, Standard Bank and etc to name a few.

But every journey has its beginning. As a young school boy watching the comedy legend Barry Hilton do a stand-up comedy show, Ndumiso Lindi had no idea what stand-up or comedy was all about. All he knew was that the show intrigued him and the thought of standing on stage and entertaining people with your life experiences seemed like a very cool thing to do. Fast-forward to 2000 and Ndumiso began studying at Cape Technikon in Cape Town, living in digs and meeting new people every day. Without knowing it, he was honing his skills each day as he enjoyed being the raconteur of his group and making his friends laugh through his own brand of down-to-earth, thoughtful comedy. In 2001, his best friend urged him to enter a lunchtime comedy contest at the Technikon. Ndumiso was reluctant, but thanks to a little encouragement from his friends, and the fact that he could win a free phone, Ndumiso found the courage to enter. He won! The rest, as they say, is history.

He is an expert at capturing characters and moments directly from life around him and sketching himself for the amusement of his fans. His inspiration comes from what he knows – his family, his experiences, his culture and his music.

Ndumiso has earned his stripes and received numerous accolades when it comes to his comedy specials . His sold out second one-man show, “Diluted People”, followed on the success of his first show, “Colour Mine” which was aired on Comedy Central Africa. Ndumiso also teamed up with the leading lady of comedy, Tumi Morake, in a hilarious show called ‘Married But Not To Each Other’ – a hilarious take on the roles and regulations of marriage and the pothole-laced roads the sexes have to navigate within the world. His 3rd one-man show “Boys Don't Cry In July” which he toured around the country was a tribute to his late Father, an honourable man who made him who he is today.

In 2019 he started the popular annual line-up comedy show "Keeping Up With The Xhosaz", a show that is mostly targeted to people who come from homelands or small towns and move to big cities. A target market that Ndumiso realised was neglected and not catered for when it comes to comedy. The show is mostly performed in Xhosa and a mix of English and other languages. In 2023, for the first time, he took the show on the road and out of Johannesburg to other big cities.

His charm and professionalism extend beyond stand-up. Ndumiso has fronted major TV campaigns for brans like Debonairs Pizza and as a lead in a Chicken Licken advert. He also kicked off his TV presenting career by hosting a couple’s game show on Mzansi Magic. Ndumiso Lindi is currently working on a new one-man show titled “Who’s Your Daddy Now?!”, his most personal project to date. A heartfelt and hilarious comedy show about the long journey to Fatherhood… dedicated to his Wife and new born twin girls.