Evodia Malebo, Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Current Experience:
Chief Financial Officer at Community Safety Roads and Transport · Full-time Oct 2024 - Present · (1 yr 6 mos)
Past Experience:
Chief Director: Financial Management at Department of Health Free State Nov 2022 - Oct 2024 · (2 yrs)
Director of Finance at Dep Human Settlements South Africa · Full-time Nov 2017 - Oct 2022 · (5 yrs)
Advisory Consultant at EY · Full-time Aug 2014 - Oct 2017 · (3 yrs 3 mos)
Deputy Director Finance at Department of Rural Development and Land Reform · Full-time Jun 2010 - Jul 2014 · (4 yrs 2 mos)
Education:
BCompt Accounting
Honours Financial Accounting
Country of Residence:
South Africa
LinkedIn Profile:
She was doing income and expense books before high school. While other kids were playing, she was counting taxi cash and learning how money moves.
Meet Evodia Malebo, a finance leader who believes knowledge is power, discipline builds stability, and strong internal controls protect more than numbers.
She doesn’t want superpowers. She wants more knowledge. And she uses it to safeguard the financial health of every institution she serves.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
06:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Night Owl
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I start my morning with exercise.
What sparked your interest in accounting and finance?
My interest in accounting started at a young age. Before I even began high school, my dad would have me count the daily taxi income and record it in a book. I was also responsible for tracking monthly income and expenses. That early exposure gave me a real understanding of how money flows through a business.
Over time, I developed a genuine passion for accountancy. Seeing how financial information reflects a business’s performance and helps guide decision-making, whether for a small operation or a large company, really drew me in. I learned early on how powerful financial insight can be.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
Some of my key career milestones include working at PwC, Auditor-General of South Africa, and EY as an Advisory Consultant, as well as contributing within national and various provincial departments and public entities.
Across these roles, a defining achievement has been consistently contributing to improved audit outcomes wherever I’ve worked. Beyond the results themselves, one of the most meaningful milestones has been sharing knowledge with my teams. Facilitating skills transfer and seeing others grow professionally has been especially rewarding.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I oversee all financial functions within the department, including strengthening internal controls, managing the budgeting process, financial reporting, cash flow oversight, compliance, and strategic financial planning.
I also serve as a key advisor to the Head of Department, providing financial insights to support informed decision-making. My role ensures that the department operates within its approved financial framework while safeguarding its overall financial sustainability.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges in my role is managing increasing service delivery demands within tight budget constraints. The pressure to deliver more with limited resources makes decision-making complex, and not every decision is always favourable to all stakeholders.
I navigate this by focusing on clear prioritisation and ensuring that every decision aligns with financial policies and regulatory prescripts. I aim to strike a careful balance between meeting immediate operational needs and maintaining long-term financial stability.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
What has proven effective for both me and my organisation is a strong focus on forecasting and disciplined financial planning. This includes proper allocation of funds, active cash flow management, detailed expense tracking, and careful debt management.
I also prioritise accurate record-keeping, ongoing data analysis, and regular reviews of income and expenditure to stay ahead of potential risks. Consistent financial reporting and maintaining a strong internal control environment are central to ensuring sound financial operations.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods
To stay balanced, especially during busy periods, I focus on clear prioritisation so that my energy goes to what truly matters. I delegate effectively, providing clear instructions and deadlines to ensure quality outcomes without needing to micromanage. I also set firm boundaries. Not every meeting requires my presence.
What do you enjoy outside of work? Any hobbies or activities that help you recharge?
Outside of work, I enjoy aerobic exercise with good music and spending time gardening. Both activities help me reset and recharge. They give me space to switch off from numbers, strategies, and decision-making, and leave me feeling energised and refreshed.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department? How do you help develop the skills of others?
Yes, mentoring and supporting my team is one of my key priorities. I believe that confident, skilled, and motivated team members are more likely to produce quality work within the required timelines.
I focus on providing constructive feedback and creating an environment where learning is continuous. I encourage my team to perform at the level they aspire to reach, even preparing themselves to take on roles such as mine in the future.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
It’s important to first understand what gives your life meaning, then take deliberate steps to align your actions with your career goals. Make intentional daily choices that move you closer to where you want to be, and commit to continuous learning.
From a technical perspective, focus on building strong accounting knowledge, analytical ability, and a solid understanding of financial principles. Effective communication and leadership skills are equally important, as is problem-solving, since it becomes part of your daily professional life.
Above all, design a routine and career path that feels purposeful, fulfilling, and impactful.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
One of the most valuable lessons in my career has been to never stop learning and to keep progressing.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio? A hobby, interest, or fun fact?
I enjoy spending time gardening, especially working with flowers, and I find music that makes me want to move and stay active very uplifting.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be? Predicting financial trends? Master multitasking?
I don’t feel the need for a superpower. I believe greater knowledge is the real strength.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
I stay productive by focusing on the value of my work and maintaining a strong sense of purpose in what I do. I genuinely enjoy my responsibilities, and that motivation helps me stay committed to completing my tasks.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why? What made that day special?
If I could relive one day from my life, it would be a Sunday. It’s a day that allows me to focus on my spiritual well-being and spend quality time with my family. I especially cherish moments with my seven-year-old son.
For Evodia, finance isn’t just reporting and compliance. It’s prioritisation under pressure. It’s making tough budget decisions with integrity. It’s mentoring others to rise into leadership, even into her own seat one day.
Her mantra?
Never stop learning. Keep moving. And when she switches off? It’s gardening, good music, and time with her 7-year-old son on Sundays.
Because balance matters, especially when you carry the weight of public accountability.
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