ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte with the party’s suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule. Picture: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News Agency (ANA)
Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - Suspended secretary-general of the ANC, Ace Magashule, has labelled Jessie Duarte as a no-nonsense person who shared explosive secrets with him when they often secretly met former president Jacob Zuma.
Magashule was speaking to the media outside the home of the late ANC deputy secretary-general, who took ill around November last year, leaving the office of the secretary-general vacant since Magashule was under suspension.
Duarte succumbed after an eight-month battle with cancer, resulting in a string of condolences coming from different sectors of society, including various political formations.
“Our relationship dates back to the years of the Struggle.
“I always went to her home and we had one-on-one discussions. We would meet with Comrade Bathabile Dlamini, and when we had issues she would say Comrade Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Comrade Bathabile should be there because there were people trying to drive a wedge between us.
“She wouldn’t allow that. Maybe in the coming weeks … because she wanted that once she is no more, some of the things of the movement should come out,” said Magashule.
He added that Duarte had consulted various members of the ANC on different occasions.
“Many people won’t know this, she always consulted, despite differences. She would say to me, ‘Let’s go quietly to meet the former president of the ANC, Comrade Jacob Zuma, and we would do so. We have visited Comrade Zuma several times with Comrade Jessie, and this is (why) I’m telling you some of the things she said: ‘Please keep some of these. These are the secrets of the movement. If these secrets come out, there is no more ANC.’”
Magashule added that Duarte was clear that the ANC had not abandoned Zuma.
“With respect to the dead, you don’t actually say some of the things she said in confidence, but she told the former president (Zuma) that there might be a few individuals who don’t recognise him, but the entire movement and those who have struggled for justice in this country will forever respect him. Even when (former) president Zuma was here in Johannesburg he would call me first and say ‘Where is our sister?’ And we would go quietly and meet president Zuma in Johannesburg,” he said.
When asked when he would release the secrets, Magashule said that out of respect to Duarte he would not reveal some of the things she told him.
Magashule added that Duarte’s death was a great loss to the ANC as an organisation.
“With the ANC divisions and factionalism, she was one of those people who were against such things. It’s going to be difficult because in situations where we differed she was the one who galvanised us. She would say, ‘Comrades, this is not about us, it’s about the movement of the people.’ She was very hard on everybody; on the president (Cyril Ramaphosa) and the national chair (Gwede Mantashe), she was very hard. She did not want to be treated like a woman. She deserved the position and no one could make her feel it was a favour.”
Paying tribute to Duarte, Minister of Energy and Minerals Gwede Mantashe said Duarte was not one to beat around the bush.
“She was shooting straight. If it’s black, it’s black, if it’s red, it’s red and if it’s white, it’s white. You don’t second guess her. You don’t assume anything. She said things as she saw them. It’s like working underground and hoping to avoid the dust. We lost her at the wrong time when we need her the most. The period between now and December is going to be difficult. We need her,” said Mantashe.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe was distraught over Duarte’s death.
“Jessie was the one who called me to tell me that the ANC had decided that I should become the spokesperson. I did not believe I would be able to do the job, given some of the issues, but she told me that I do not speak for individuals but for the ANC. Even when we had to deal with the step-aside issue involving the secretary-general, Ace Magashule, she told me that I might be coming from a particular slate but I have to communicate decisions of the ANC. She really taught me a lot,” he said.
ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile said it was going to be a difficult year without Duarte.
“This is a very difficult year for us. We needed the kind of strength in that office of the secretary-general,” said Mashatile.
Duarte was laid to rest in Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg in line with her Islamic faith.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a category two state funeral for Duarte.
The ANC will hold an official memorial for her on Thursday, while the provinces will hold their own on different days and times yet to be determined.
Pretoria News