Outgoing Auditor-General (AG) of South Africa Kimi Makwetu has died following a battle with cancer. He died in hospital on Wednesday afternoon, his office confirmed in a statement.

Makwetu was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in June 2018. "As the national audit office, we join the Makwetu family in mourning his death," said spokesperson Africa Boso.

"We ask the public to keep the family in their thoughts as they come to terms with his passing, and to give them the privacy and space to deal with his passing." He leaves behind his wife and three children.

Boso said when the family was ready, they would share further details of how they would like to honour Makwetu.

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He had worked at Standard Bank, Nampak, Deloitte, Liberty and Metropolitan Life and then served as Deputy Auditor-General at the Auditor-General of South Africa.

He was officially appointed on 1 December 2013 by former president Jacob Zuma as Auditor-General of South Africa for a period of seven years.

Parliament last month unanimously approved Tsakani Maluleke as the new incoming AG, the first woman to head the office.

Kimi Makwetu