Former police minister Fikile Mbalula has resigned as a member of parliament‚ the ANC said on Friday.

Jackson Mthembu‚ the ANC's chief whip in Parliament‚ said the resignation was effective from February 26. Mbalula was recently ousted from the cabinet of President Cyril Ramaphosa. He has since taken up a post as head of the ANC's election campaign.

Mbalula was a fierce supporter of former president Jacob Zuma and openly backed Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to take over from Zuma as ANC president in December.

A recent cabinet reshuffle saw Mbalula being removed from his position as police minister. He had occupied that position for less than a year‚ but managed to court a fair amount of controversy with his tough-talking manner and outspokenness on social media.

The former ANC youth leader drew particular criticism for his anti-crime campaign on Twitter – the same platform he used to announced his imminent departure from cabinet.