ANC’s deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte’s death, confirmed in a statement by the ANC. Duarte died at 68 years of age.

The African National Party she served for years, issued out a media statement, announcing Duarte died in the early hours of Sunday morning after a months long illness, battling with cancer. The deputy secretary general, had been on medical leave from November last year.

The ANC has expressed its heartbreak, confirming her death as being a great loss, not only to her family, however to the party and South Africa as a whole’. The party has explained her character as a dedicated activist who fought for a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.

Duarte’s illness was announce early in the year when she was hospitalized, and that she was interested in retiring. She was one of the ANC members who had dedicated her life to the party from the beginning.

Due to her belief as a Muslim, Duarte will be buried the same day, Sunday 17 July. The country has been pouring social media with condolence messages.