Tsakani Maluleke is South Africa's new Auditor-General – the first woman to hold the position.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Maluleke for a non-renewable term of seven years with effect from December 1.

Maluleke succeeds Kimi Makwetu who died of cancer on November 11, just weeks before the expiry of his term of office.

Maluleke, who was up against seven other candidates for the top job, served as deputy AG since 2014.

In a statement, Ramaphosa said the incoming AG is a chartered accountant and registered auditor who holds a B Comm (Accounting) and a post-graduate diploma in accountancy from the University of Cape Town.

"Maluleke has more than 20 years of experience in the private and public sectors, spanning diverse areas including auditing, consulting, corporate advisory, development finance, investment management and skills development agencies.

"Since 2014, she has served as the Deputy Auditor-General and CEO of the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa; the first woman to hold this executive position in the organisation's history.

"She is a seasoned business leader with a wealth of corporate governance experience gained through participation on numerous corporate boards and strategic committees," the statement read.

Maluleke also obtained a post-graduate Diploma in Development and Public Management from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2016.

She also served on the Presidential BEE advisory council where she led a sub-committee that developed recommendations that influenced key amendments to legislation and regulations relating to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.

"Her career has been grounded in a passion and duty to actively contribute to the entry and advancement of black men and women in the accountancy profession.

"She has pursued this passion through her work with various organisations including Business Unity South Africa, African Women Chartered Accountants, and the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa, of which she is a past president.

"Her current role as the non-executive chair of the board of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants is a continuation of this work," the statement read.

Ramaphosa wished Maluleke well in her leadership "of an institution charged with advancing public sector accountability and contributing to the building of an ethical and capable state".