African National Congress (ANC) presidential candidate and Member of Parliament (MP) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been deployed to the portfolio committee on small business development.

A tabling in Parliament on Monday revealed she would sit on the portfolio chaired by ANC MP Nozabelo Bhengu, and where Lindiwe Zulu is minister.

She has also been deployed as an alternate MP in the portfolio committee on arts and culture, to sit in when other members are absent or on leave.

Dlamini-Zuma was sworn in as an MP on September 21, with many speculating it could lead to another Cabinet reshuffle where the presidential candidate would be given a portfolio.

She took up one of five ANC vacancies in Parliament. She replaced former ANC youth league official Pule Mabe, who resigned from Parliament at the beginning of September.

On the day of her swearing in, Dlamini-Zuma was met by many journalists in the corridors outside the Deputy Speaker's office.

"It is going to be a lot of work, but I'm happy," she said at the time.

She also said she didn't mind which committee she would be deployed to, and didn't know anything about a Cabinet reshuffle.

Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen described her swearing-in as the beginning of a purge of those who turned against President Jacob Zuma in the August 8 vote of no confidence.

Dlamini-Zuma though said as far as she knew, she was only coming in to be a new Member of Parliament.

Dr Makhosi Khoza has also been officially discharged from her portfolio committees - that of economic development and public service and administration - after quitting the party on the same day as Dlamini-Zuma's swearing-in.