Cape Town - Wellington Vusumuzi Mavimbela has been appointed Director General in the Presidency with immediate effect.
He takes over the reigns from Rev Frank Chikane, whose contract with the Presidency ended last year.
Speaking to BuaNews Mr Mavimbela said taking up the appointment would be a "daunting task" but one he was sure he would meet head-on.
"It is a daunting task, especially with the expanded government. This would involve a lot of coordination of the different departments.
"However the Presidency is up to the task, and the President is committed to speeding up service delivery," Mr Mavimbela said after a special cabinet meeting this morning.
Mr Mavimbela brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to the Presidency.
He has served as Director at Mvelaphanda Group Limited since 2005, responsible for business strategy and African expansion.
Prior to that, he was Director General at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) since 1999. In 2004, he indicated to former President Thabo Mbeki that he was leaving the public service to join the private sector.
He had served as political advisor to Mr Mbeki, when he was Deputy President, and later as a special advisor to him on intelligence and security matters - portfolios that led to him becoming NIA Director-General.
The 54-year-old Mavimbela joined the ANC in 1976. He studied in the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic and spent time in Lusaka working in the ANC youth secretariat.
