South Africa’s veteran freedom fighter and Deputy Secretary Normal of the African Nationwide Congress (ANC), Yasmin “Jessie” Duarte, kicked the bucket on Sunday after an extended combat with most cancers. She was once 68.
The ANC showed that Duarte kicked the bucket within the early hours of Sunday morning.
Duarte have been on clinical depart since November final yr as she underwent remedy for most cancers.
She was once the longest serving member of the ruling birthday celebration’s nationwide government council (NEC), after first being elected to the frame in 1999 below the management of then president Thabo Mbeki.
Sharing its condolences, the ANC stated Duarte have been “a tower of energy to the organisation in addition to a matriarch and pillar of her circle of relatives. “
“The passing of Comrade Jessie is a smart loss, no longer handiest to the circle of relatives however to the democratic motion and the rustic as an entire,” ANC nationwide spokesperson Pule Mabe stated in a observation.
“She devoted her complete lifestyles to the battle for a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, filthy rich, and simply South Africa. A dedicated gender activist, she relentlessly championed the emancipation and empowerment of girls. Her lifestyles and paintings mirrored a constant dedication to advancing the rights of the deficient and marginalised,” Mabe added.
“As a dedicated internationalist and previous diplomat, no longer handiest will she be mourned by means of South Africa, however by means of colleagues and comrades at the African continent and the world modern motion,” he stated.
A control accountant by means of career, Duarte joined the liberty battle at an early age and was once considering putting in girls’s buildings right through South Africa whilst the ANC remained banned within the nation below the white minority executive.
Duarte served as the private assistant to Nelson Mandela, who was once launched after 27 years of imprisonment as a political prisoner to turn out to be South Africa’s first democratically elected president.
She was once additionally the Member of the Govt Council (MEC) for Protection and Safety in Gauteng province and South Africa’s ambassador to neighbouring Mozambique for a duration.
In April this yr, Duarte spoke out after in style rumours on social media that she had died of most cancers. She had previous indicated that she would step down from her place on the subsequent non-obligatory convention of the ANC, scheduled for the tip of this yr.
Duarte’s funeral by means of Muslim rites was once scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
She was once married to John Duarte, with whom she had two kids. The couple have been divorced in 2001.
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