Veteran ANC member and Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will resign from Parliament.

The former wife of Jacob Zuma announced her retirement in a letter written to ANC electoral committee head Kgalema Motlanthe, and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and declined an invitation to attend an interview for the 2024 national list, which takes place tomorrow.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence by the branches who have once again nominated me on the ANC’s 2024 national list.

“My sincere gratitude to the entire leadership of the African National Congress from national, provincial, regional and branch levels for affording me the opportunity and support to serve the country and the people of South Africa as a public representative and as a member of Cabinet since 1994.

“I also thank all the ANC presidents under whose leadership and guidance I served as a member of the executive. I am eternally grateful for making it possible for me to serve the continent as the first woman at the helm of the African Union Commission and the first chairperson of the commission from the South African Development Community.

“It will not be necessary to schedule the interview for the 2024 national list because I have taken the decision to retire from being a member of the South African Parliament,” said Dlamini Zuma.

Under President Cyril Ramaphosa she served as minister in the presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, with responsibility for the National Planning Commission, before becoming minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, overseeing South Africa’s controversial lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She also served as the first woman to chair the African Union Commission, formerly known as the Organisation for African Unity.