A South African Parliamentary committee on Tuesday recommended deputy Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke as the successor to incumbent Kimi Makwetu when steps down at the end of this term next month.

The ad hoc committee reached a unanimous decision that Maluleke, an experienced chartered accountant, was the best candidate put forward for the position.

The committee last month listed Maluleke among eight candidates shortlisted for the post, saying it had received 71 applications but the majority were from people with no accounting or auditing background.

Maluleke has the necessary public finance management and audit experience, technical know-how and leadership abilities to steer the office of the Auditor-General at a time when dependable audits of government’s entities are more important than ever, the main opposition Democratic Alliance party said on Tuesday.

“The DA therefore agrees with the recommendation and supports Ms Maluleke for the appointment as the new Auditor-General of South Africa,” DA legislator and member of the standing committee on the Auditor-General Jan de Villiers said in a statement.

The DA has previously applauded Makwetu’s tenure, saying he carried his responsibilities with fierce independence and integrity and that his successor would have big shoes to fill.

Under Makwetu’s leadership, the Auditor-General’s office has uncovered billions of rand in fruitless and wasteful state expenditure over the years, which government critics say might otherwise have been swept under the carpet.