Duarte Magashule ANC secrets

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte is laid to rest on Sunday after she lost her battle to cancer. PHOTO: Twitter/@PresidencyZA

Emotional farewell to ANC’s firm top leader Jessie Duarte [WATCH]

The ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte is laid to rest at Westpark Cemetery as emotional ANC members remember her for her firmness.

Duarte Magashule ANC secrets

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte is laid to rest on Sunday after she lost her battle to cancer. PHOTO: Twitter/@PresidencyZA

Emotions are high among comrades of the late ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte. Duarte, who was diagnosed with cancer, was expected to get back to good health and continue to lead the party.

Duarte however died in the early hours of Sunday morning. Due to Muslim burial rites, her funeral was held at 14:00 at the Westpark Cemetery.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa declares Special Official Category 2 funeral for Jessie Duarte

WE THOUGHT SHE WOULD COME BACK

Duarte left office last year due to her ill health. But despite going through cancer treatments, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said he was sure she would heal and return to her position.

Speaking outside her home ahead of the funeral, an emotional Mabe said Duarte had called them to her office for a brief meeting last year, stating she needs to see the doctor that day at 14:00.

“It seemed like it was something small. We thought she would be coming back to work the following day.. Even though she went for treatment, she would still make time to attend some of our National Executive Council (NEC) meetings.”

Pule Mabe

Mabe said he was requested by Duarte’s office on Friday to record a video to send a message of support. But he still believed she would return to work.

ALSO READ: Duarte’s ‘Lord of the Media’ Samkele Maseko saddened by her death

“Dangor, her brother, sent us a message when she was discharged from hospital that she is going to go home and will be in the care of the family. We still believed she will come back. We are here now, even though we received the sad news in the early hours of this morning, that she did not win over this fight,” he said.

Duarte
The ANC stalwart was expected to by her colleagues to get back to health and return back to work. PHOTO: Twitter/@PresidencyZA

An extremely distraught Lindiwe Sisulu could not speak when asked about the passing of Duarte. Briefly speaking to eNCA, all that the Minister of Tourism said was: “She’s taken half of me with her. What can I say? Thank you.”

DUARTE’S BROTHER SPEAKS OF HIS SISTER

Her brother, Zane Dangor, spoke fondly of his sister, describing her as an important and central person in the family.

“She was the only daughter among eight brothers and she was really the matriarch in the family. She took care of a lot of us, including myself, from a very young age,” Dangor told eNCA.

He said while the family is devastated for losing their ‘matriarch’, they were at peace and relieved.

“We are also relieved in the sense that eight months of struggling with cancer has come to an end. It was a long and hard battle but, in the end, I think she is at peace. She is out of pain and we have had to make peace with her leaving [us] over the past couple of weeks. So, we were preparing ourselves.”

“We didn’t expect it today. It could have been a week or so from now but I think we have come to terms because we knew she was in pain,” said Dangor.

Duarte is laid to rest at Westpark Cemetery. As per Muslim rites, her funeral took place the same day as her passing. WATCH: