Jessie Duarte throws in the towel

ANC stalwart Jessie Duarte has resigned as President Jacob Zuma’s chief operations officer in the presidency, the Sunday Times reported.

Duarte wrote an “emotional email” to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, saying there had been “jibes and suggestions” that she may be out of her job soon. She said that on Thursday she was told by Ayanda Dlodlo, Zuma’s parliamentary counsellor, that there was “a rumour doing the rounds” that she had been suspended, reported the paper.

“In my world, that is where I have vowed to draw the line, if someone so ambitious and unscrupulous and cowardly resorted to base mismanagement of my person, in a manner that it would affect my family, I would take leave of positions and fight the fight in the open and take no prisoners,” Duarte wrote.

Mantashe told Sunday Times reporters that he had not seen the letter.

Presidency spokesperson Vusi Mona told the paper he had not received an official resignation letter.

Duarte and Mona were not available for comment when contacted by the South African Press Association on Sunday. - Sapa