Jessie Duarte, a stalwart of the African National Congress (ANC), passed away at the age of 68.
Jessie Duarte dies: What’s the cause of death?
In a statement released at 04:31 on Sunday morning, the ANC confirmed Duarte, the party’s deputy secretary general, had been on medical leave since November 2021, undergoing cancer treatment.
Albeit not stated explicitly, Duarte’s passing may be linked to an unspecified type of cancer.
“The passing of Comrade Jessie [Duarte] is a great loss, not only to the family, but to the democratic movement and the country as a whole. As a committed internationalist and former diplomat, not only will she be mourned by South Africa, but by colleagues and comrades on the African contnent and in the international progressive movement,” the ANC wrote.
Duarte will be laid to rest in accordance with Muslim rites on Sunday afternoon in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
Sheis survived by her two children, grandchildren, siblings and extended family.
Jessie Duarte biography
NOTE: Some of the information on Duarte’s background was sourced from her official Wikipedia page.
At the time of her death, Duarter served as the acting secretary general of the ANC, following Ace Magashule’s indefinite suspension.
Born in 1953, Duarte was a crucial cog in the organised rebellion against the apartheid regime. She was handpicked by Albertina Sisulu, the wife of Walter, one of the ANC’s founding members who ironically served as the party’s secretary general, to set up women’s structures in South Africa.
At the time, around 1979, Duarte had only just launched her career in management accounting.
However, the fate of her people was at peril and so, she ditched her job to join the struggle movement. By 1981, she’d become secretary of the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW).
During the period of the transition of power, Duarte served as:
- member of the Gauteng provincial executive council (PEC);
- member of the ANC’s Interim Leadership Core;
- personal assistent to former president Nelson Mandela and former SG Sisulu;
- Gauteng’s MEC for safety and security;
- South Africa’s ambassador to Mozambique; and
- Deputy SG of the ANC.
At the time of her death, Duarte assumed the role of Magashule before she went on medical leave in November 2021.The 68-year-old had plans to retire from her position entirely at the party’s national conference later this year.
“She dedicated her entire life to the struggle for a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, prosperous, and just South Africa. A committed gender activist, she relentlessly championed the emancipation and empowerment of women. Her life and work reflected a consistent commitment to advancing the rights of the poor and marginalised,” the ANC reflected.
Reactions to Duarte’s death
News of Duarte’s passing has already garnered a lot of interest on social media. Here are some of the reactions we’ve encountered in conversation around her passing: