Former ANC MP Pule Mabe was allegedly pushed out of parliament to make way for ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Sunday World learnt Mabe was summoned to Luthuli House by the ANC's top six officials where they communicated their decision to him that he should step aside to make way for Dlamini-Zuma who will contest party deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa in its elective conference in December.

The ANC announced on Friday that Dlamini-Zuma would replace Mabe and will be sworn in as a member of parliament next week.

The shock tidbits were revealed by a senior party official and Mabe's close associate who did not approve of his recall from parliament.

"Mabe did not resign, he was pushed to make way for Dlamini-Zuma. The statement he sent to the public saying he was pursuing other interests was all a lie. He lied to protect the integrity of the movement and to show that even though he didn't agree with it, he remained a disciplined member of the movement.

"The truth is Mabe has no business interest that he is pursuing," said the member.

The member said senior members of the movement, including chief whip Jackson Mthembu, were livid after they learnt of Mabe's axing as MP.

"Jackson has threatened to go public about this matter after confirming it with Mabe," said the member. Mabe refuted the claims that he was pushed out of parliament.

"I informed the NEC of the ANC in its formal and regular sitting before local government elections in 2016 already through my input to the structure of my consideration to step down as a public representative.

"I will still be involved in communities. I am soldiering on and continuing to do what I believe will best unleash my efforts. In the past I resigned as a group executive of the erstwhile South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) where I was earning a lot of money to take up a position as treasurer-general of the ANCYL, cutting my monthly earnings by almost half and putting my family under strain.

"My wife, who is my pillar of strength, still stood by me even on this day. I was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering after raising money for the ANCYL's inaugural Young Women's Assembly held in Nasrec in 2008.

"I endured the emotional pain of being fined for improper conduct by the ethics committee in parliament for a benefit that never accrued to me.

"I surrendered my life a long time ago to be of service to the people. I am now electing to take a path which I know will allow me to make such a contribution to changing the living conditions of our people without restraint," he said.

But the member said Mabe was scared to talk openly about his removal because he might be victimised.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said Mabe resigned to pursue his business interest.

"Nobody pushed him, in fact he communicated his decision to leave parliament as early as January this year. He informed the speaker, the chief whip and the ANC," he said.

Mthembu could not be reached for comment.