Kundai Prudence Majangara, Cost Accountant
Cost Accountant
Current Experience:
Group Finance Manager at DDK Merchandising Oct 2025 - Present
Past Experience:
Cost Accountant at FinBizServ · Full-time May 2024 - Jul 2025 · (1yr 3 mos)
Central Payments Manager / Team Leader - (Accounting Operations Department) at Flight Centre Travel Group · Full-time Nov 2022 - Apr 2024 · (1 yr 6 mos)
Accountant at DDK Merchandising Mar 2020 - Mar 2022 · (2 yrs 1 mo)
Senior Manager Accounts at Saarthy Pty Ltd · Full-time Feb 2018 - Feb 2020 · (2 yrs 1 mo)
Financial Accountant at Lisa Cars Mar 2016 - Jan 2018 · (1 yr 11 mos)
Cost Accountant at unqondo projects Oct 2015 - Feb 2016 · (5 mos)
Junior Accountant at RE/MAX Jan 2015 - Apr 2015 · (4 mos)
Financial Credit Advisor/Counsellor at Coalition Advisors Jul 2014 - Dec 2014 · (6 mos)
Trainee Accountant at Northbound Financial Inc. Jul 2013 - May 2014 · (11 mos)
Education:
BCom Accounting Business and Economic Science
CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting
CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting
CIMA member with the ACMA CGMA designation
Country of Residence:
South Africa
LinkedIn Profile:
She doesn’t just count the costs, she recovers lost revenue, hunts down hidden assets, and teaches non-finance teams why internal controls matter.
Meet Kundai Prudence Majangara, a Cost Accountant who isn’t afraid to challenge ignorance in the boardroom or inefficiency in the books. With over a decade in finance, Kundai has become a quiet force behind smarter decisions, sharper controls, and profit-driven analysis. She’s proof that being "just in finance" can mean being central to a company’s survival and growth.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
08:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Night Owl
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I spend the first hour of my morning reflecting on the previous day, reviewing my goals, and planning ahead as I get ready for the day.
What sparked your interest in accounting and finance?
I’ve always enjoyed seeing businesses grow, and accounting felt like a practical way for me to contribute to that growth.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
One of my key career milestones was implementing stronger internal controls that improved efficiency and led to the recovery of uncollected insurance revenue, as well as identifying and recovering mishandled assets. This experience reinforced how effective internal controls can close system gaps, reduce human error, and prevent potential asset losses.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I work as a Cost Accountant.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I contribute by conducting project and product cost and profitability analyses, which help the business clearly identify which products are profitable, which require intervention, and which should be discontinued. This information is provided timeously to support informed management decisions and overall financial strategy.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is helping non-finance team members understand the importance of financial due diligence and risk assessment. I addressed this by taking the time to explain these concepts clearly and promote risk awareness across the organisation. This has helped teams better understand the need to validate transactions and adhere to internal controls.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
The strategies that I have used are monitoring financials, cashflows and costings for variances and thoroughly investigating them so that trends can be established, and mitigating actions are taken in time before the business has adverse effects. Coaching of junior employees has been very beneficial as it enabled them to understand their roles more and hence take ownership of their work. This has helped to ensure that there is goal congruency withing the organisation and it has also increased productivity, motivation levels and efficiency.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods
During busy periods, I stay balanced by being intentional about self-care. I make time for exercise by building it into my daily routine, such as fitting in a workout before my morning shower, which has become a healthy habit. I apply the same mindset to maintaining personal relationships, and I also use my commute to listen to educational and self-improvement podcasts or audio content.
What do you enjoy outside of work? Any hobbies or activities that help you recharge?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends and exploring new outdoor activities and restaurants, which helps me recharge.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department? How do you help develop the skills of others?
Yes, I actively mentor and support other team members within the finance department. I believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to help develop future leaders. I focus on recognising individual strengths, encouraging growth, and supporting improvement in weaker areas. This includes guidance on further education, skill development, and building confidence.
I also place strong emphasis on sharing leadership, people skills, and practical strategies, as these are essential for developing effective leaders. Mentorship, in my view, requires understanding each individual and adapting the coaching approach to suit how they learn, which improves both efficiency and outcomes. I strongly believe that emotional intelligence is one of the most important qualities to nurture, as it plays a key role in building healthy relationships with clients, management, and colleagues.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
My advice for someone aspiring to work in a finance department would be to start by obtaining a relevant educational qualification, keeping in mind that there are many institutions available depending on budget and accessibility. Gaining practical experience through an internship is also highly beneficial, as it allows you to apply your studies in a real-world setting.
A strong finance professional also takes the time to understand the business they wish to work for, conducting proper research and familiarising themselves with relevant legislative requirements, such as SARS regulations, industry standards, IFRS, and ethical practices. It’s important to remain objective, exercise professional competence and due care, and maintain honesty and confidentiality when handling sensitive company information.
“Be the green leaf in drought.’’ My mum has always said this to me, and it has helped me to overcome a lot of challenges and believe that I can succeed despite any difficult or challenging situation.”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
A valuable leadership lesson I’ve learned is that leadership begins with believing in yourself and building the necessary skills and experience. True leaders focus on developing other leaders, as this is the ultimate measure of success.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio? A hobby, interest, or fun fact?
Something surprising about me is that I’m a wildlife enthusiast and feel most at ease when I’m surrounded by nature.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be? Predicting financial trends? Master multitasking?
If I could have a superpower for my job, it would be enhanced skills in data mining, analysis, and interpretation. As the business world becomes increasingly driven by big data, having the ability to quickly and accurately analyse information would allow me to develop strategies that support the organisation’s growth and success.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
My go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays is to maintain a positive mindset and ensure I have adequate energy. I track important tasks and deadlines, using tools like Trello or Microsoft Planner to stay organised. Collaborating with team members also helps improve productivity by creating synergies and reducing duplication of effort. Additionally, staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet helps me manage long hours effectively.
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 career, it would be my first day at work. That day marked the beginning of my journey toward making an impact in the industry and set me on the path to achieving meaningful accomplishments.
Whether she’s fighting financial waste, mentoring the next wave of accountants, or squeezing in a pre-shower workout, Kundai moves with one mantra:
“Be the green leaf in drought.”
Because leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about creating value, sharing wisdom, and staying rooted when the pressure hits.
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to turn your career into a mission, just like Kundai.
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