Stanley Mogoba, former Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) president, has resigned from parliament to make way for the party's deputy president, Themba Godi.
Mogoba said his last day as an MP was on Saturday, but he would remain in Cape Town until Godi had been sworn in on Tuesday.
"I will then head home to Nebo in Limpopo as I begin my retirement," he said.
Godi is to join Motsoko Pheko, the PAC president, in parliament.
The party's representatives in parliament were reduced from three to two when Patricia de Lille defected to form the Independent Democrats.
Commenting on the timing, given that President Thabo Mbeki is expected to announce an election date soon, Godi said: "It is some kind of advance mission... I am being sent by the party to prepare work for the PAC leadership that will be coming to parliament after the elections."
There was no doubt that the number of PAC MPs would increase.