South Africa’s Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has resigned following corruption allegations.

According to media reports she is accused of soliciting bribes in return for awarding contracts during her time as defence minister.

Mapisa-Nqakula who resigned on Wednesday, stated that the move was not an “indication or admission of guilt”. 

The resignation comes ahead of the upcoming general election, which could be challenging for the governing African National Congress.