The Presidency announced the resignation of its chief operating officer Jessie Duarte late on Wednesday afternoon.
“She will leave her position at the end of May 2010 to pursue other interests and give more time to her political work for the African National Congress,” the Presidency said in an official statement.
The government had earlier denied a report in the Sunday Times, published on February 28, that purportedly quoted from an emotional email from Duarte 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 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 is said to have written.
Kaunda tensions
The Sunday Times reported that Duarte intended to resign over disputes with top Jacob Zuma aide and deputy director general in the Presidency, Lakela Kaunda, among others.
Both Mantashe and Presidency spokesperson Vusi Mona told the paper then they had not received an official resignation letter, and Duarte denied her resignation as well.
Duarte tried to keep the newspaper from publishing the story when she was contacted for comment, said editor Mondli Makhanya at the time.
“Obviously [Duarte and the Presidency] are denying it because the infighting doesn’t reflect well on the Presidency,” Makhanya said.
On Wednesday the Presidency gave no particular reasons for Duarte’s resignation besides saying that she was pursuing other interests.
Instead the statement emphasised that she had contributed immensely in “stabilising the administration of the Presidency”.
“The organisational restructuring that the Presidency has undergone can largely be attributed to her work and vision as guided by the Union Building’s political principles.”
Denied
Previously the Presidency had denied that there was tension between Duarte and Kaunda.
“They work well together and support each other positively and constructively,” presidential spokesperson Vusi Mona said at the time of the Sunday Times report.
“Any reports to the contrary are complete fabrications.”
Prior to joining the Presidency, Duarte was the spokesperson for the ANC. She has in the past served as a special assistant to former president Nelson Mandela and was a member of the provincial cabinet in Gauteng. She also served as an ambassador to Mozambique.
Jessie was quoted in the official statement as saying: “Resigning from the Presidency was a difficult decision.
“However, I have discussed this with my political principles and am leaving with their blessing.”