Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu has appointed former Postbank managing director Busisiwe Memela-Khambula as permanent South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) chief executive officer.

Memela-Khambula takes over from acting CEO Abraham Mahlangu. The social grants agency said Memela-Khambula's experience in financial services will come in handy.

"Memela-Khambula comes with vast senior management experience in the public and private sectors which will be valuable at Sassa. She is a business strategist and served on several board of directors in these sectors. The Sassa and SA Post Office partnership in paying social grants is at an early stage and her appointment will certainly play a key role in increasing the momentum to ensure that service delivery is enhanced," Shabangu said in a statement on Monday.

Mahlangu was appointed acting CEO in 2018, replacing Pearl Bhengu. 

Bhengu had replaced Thokozani Magwaza who left the agency after a fall-out with former Social Development minister Bathabile Dlamini over the controversial Cash Paymaster Services contract. Mahlangu took over from Bhengu after the latter requested to be sent back to her initial post in KwaZulu-Natal.