Duarte died in the early hours of Sunday morning after battling cancer.
She was 68.
She was laid to rest at the Westpark cemetery in a Special Official Funeral Category 2 earlier on Sunday.
The Thabo Mbeki Foundation has joined South Africa in paying tribute to the late ANC Deputy Secretary General.
In a short statement, the foundation expressed its sadness at the news of Duarte’s passing, saying the country is poorer without her and hailed the stalwart’s contribution to the birth of a democratic South Africa.
TMF MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE ON THE PASSING OF CDE JESSIE DUARTE. pic.twitter.com/NBKRGHdFIH
— Thabo Mbeki Foundation (@TMFoundation_) July 17, 2022
The 68-year-old was also South Africa’s diplomat in Mozambique during the first tenure of former President Thabo Mbeki. The Foundation has also sent condolences to Duarte’s family and her political home, the ANC.
In a tweet from the Jacob Zuma Foundation, the foundation says the relationship between the former President and Duarte “goes a long way.” Duarte died in the early hours of this morning after battling cancer.
The Foundation says it will soon issue a special tribute to Duarte.
Yasmin Jessie Duarte Funeral Service:
Some ANC members in Polokwane, Limpopo, have commended the late Duarte for the role she played in the party during the absence of the suspended Secretary General, Ace Magashule.
“It is a big loss, and its not well for us in a situation that we are approaching a national conference. We thought maybe she will recover and be part of the coming national conference. The DSG has been playing a vital role in the ANC at a particular time in the absence of the SG to make sure that the day-to-day organisation process is running.”
Jessie Duarte: Limpopo pays tribute
