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Birth Name:
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Jessie Yasmin Duarte
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Occupation:
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Politician |
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Date of Birth
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19 September 1953 (age 70 years)
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Died
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17 July 2022 (aged 68)
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Place of Birth
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Newclare, Johannesburg, Gauteng |
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Nationality:
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South African |
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Gender:
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Female
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Children:
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2
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Jessie Duarte was a South African politician who served as Deputy Secretary-General of the African National Congress since 2012.
Who Was Jessie Duarte?
Jessie Duarte, full name Jessie Yasmin Duarte (born 19 September 1953, Newclare, Johannesburg, Gauteng).
Jessie Duarte family
Jessie Duarte was a mother of two, a daughter and a son. She has eight other siblings. Two of her brothers, Achmat Dangor and Zane, are famous for their resemblance.
Jessie Duarte career
Jessie Duarte started her career as an accountant in management. In 1979, she was appointed by Albertina Sisulu with the role of establishing women’s structures in the country. She served the position diligently, and by 1981, she was appointed to serve as the provincial secretary of the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW). During the same period, she was working towards administering scholarships for the activists of the African National Congress. The activists were being trained to become public servants.
In 1988, she got detained without going through trial and was placed under restriction orders. She, later on, got released when the state of emergency was lifted. Personal Assistant of President Nelson Mandela In 1990, she got elected to the Gauteng Provincial Executive Council. She was also appointed to the Interim Leadership Core of the ANC.
She also got appointed to serve the position of MEC for Safety and Security. Another significant position that she served was the position of the Personal Assistant of President Nelson Mandela after he had gotten out of prison. She was also the personal Assistant of Walter Sisulu until 1994.
The latter served in the Regional Executive Committee of the African National Congress between 1991 and 1994. This committee was in charge of conducting negotiations regarding the country’s democracy. Between 1997 and 1999, she served in the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress. In 2003, she was appointed as the National Spokesperson of the African National Congress.
Between 1999 and 2003, she served the position of ambassador of South Africa to Mozambique. She also served the position of Chief Operations Officer in the Presidency in the South African Government. She, however, resigned from the position in 2010.
In December 2012, she got appointed as the Deputy Secretary-General of the African National Congress during the 53rd National Conference that was held in Mangaung. During the party’s 54th National Conference that was held in Nasrec in 2017, she was re-elected to serve the same position of Deputy Secretary-General in 2017.
Jessie Duarte cause of death
According to reports Jessie Duarte died on 17 July 2022 at his home in Johannesburg, Gauteng due to cancer. She was 68 years old.