The announcement was made on Thursday by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, who also said 1 July had been set as the date on which the Scorpions will formally cease to exist.

Dramat (41) is one of two deputy provincial commissioners in the Western Cape, with responsibility for visible policing and investigations.

Though he also commands the province's "war room", he is relatively unknown outside police circles.

Mthethwa told journalists in Cape Town that Dramat had special expertise in the areas of crime intelligence and underground operative work "especially within the serious and violent crimes environment".

He said the unit Dramat would head, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, would focus on serious organised and commercial crime, and serious corruption.

Dramat said he was "deeply humbled and honoured" by the appointment.

"I commit myself to work for all South Africans to ensure that our country finally eradicates the scourge of fraud, corruption and organised crime," he said.

"The war against organised crime has been strengthened: the responsibility lies with all of us to ensure that there's no hiding space for criminals."

Staff of the new directorate are to be drawn from the ranks of the police and the former Scorpions.

It will take over all 639 cases still on the Scorpions' books.