South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has won a closely fought vote to become the head of the African Union Commission, replacing Jean Ping of Gabon in the top job, AU officials said Sunday.

"She got 37 (votes), three points more than the (required) majority," a top AU official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding she had won on the fourth round of voting. South African officials confirmed the result.