Jessie Duarte

Jessie Yasmin Duarte

COO in the Presidency

Born 19-09-1953 in Johannesburg

Jessie Duarte is a South African politician and spokesperson for the African National Congress. A long time anti-apartheid activist, she has served variously as a special assistant to Nelson Mandela, a member of the provincial cabinet (MEC) for Gauteng, and as ambassador to Mozambique before assuming her current post as ANC spokesperson. She was detained without trial in 1988 and released and placed under restriction orders until the State of Emergency was lifted. She recently resigned from presidency (April 2010).