Her resignation comes on the heels of former ministers Siyabonga Cwele and Jeff Radebe, who resigned from the National Assembly on Monday.

Last week, former members of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s executive Thokozile Xasa, Dipou Letsatsi-Duba, Makhosini Nkosi and Nomaindia Mfeketo also resigned from their positions as ordinary members of the National Assembly.

Dlamini, who previously served as minister of women in the Presidency, was one of the controversial names appearing on the ANC’s list of candidates to serve in Parliament, with the party being criticised for refusing to remove her and several others who were clouded by claims of corruption.

Dlamini, who was flagged by the ANC’s own integrity committee, also had damning findings against her by the Constitutional Court, which asked the national prosecuting authority to investigate whether it should charge her for perjury over her comments on the social grants’ saga.

She had also been perceived as all-powerful and untouchable, by many in and outside of the governing party, when she made it back into Ramaphosa’a cabinet in 2018 but she failed to make the cut following the 2019 national elections.

ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina confirmed Dlamini's resignation to News24 on Tuesday morning.

"Yes, the women’s league president resigned yesterday. I have accepted her resignation. All other comments on the matter will be handled by Luthuli House," said Majodina.

According to the SABC News the main reason for the resignations is usually to secure their pensions at the level of a minister instead of an ordinary MP.

News24