Ms Dlamini became an active member of the Idlangamabala Youth at Imbali's St Marks Anglican Church as well as the South African Students Congress. She worked with various structures after the release of Nelson Mandela including the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions, Youth and various underground structures of the ANC.
She became part of the interim leadership that was formed to build the ANC Womens League structures in the Kwa-Zulu Natal regions in 1991 During that period she was elected to the first Regional Executive Committee of the ANCWL.
Between 1991 and 1993 Ms Dlamini worked for the Pietermaritzburg Cripples Care Association non-governmental organisation (NGO), that worked with the physically disabled in Pietermaritzburg and brought about the change of name of the NGO; served as a member of the Imbali Rehabilitation Programme from 1991 to 1993 and as Deputy Secretary General of the ANCWL in 1993.
As a member of Parliament, Ms Dlamini served in the Correctional Services and Social Development Portfolio Committees from 1994 to 2004. She has also served as Secretary-General of the ANCWL from 1998 to 2008 (one of the longest serving Secretary-General of the ANCWL.
She became a member of NEC of the ANC as well as the National Working Committee in 2007; and she was part of the formation of the progressive Women's Movement of South Africa in 2007. Prior to the appointment as a Minister; Ms Dlamini was a Deputy Minister of Social Development of the Republic of South Africa from 11 May 2009 to 31 October 2010.
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