President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that African National Congress (ANC) acting secretary general Jessie Duarte stood firm against factionalism in the party and encouraged the party to strive to build a united movement. 

Addressing the mourners at West Park Cemetery where she was laid to rest, Ramaphosa said her untimely passing came as a shock to the party members. 

The 68-year-old Duarte died after battling cancer. She has been on medical leave since 2021.

“We should use this moment not so much to mourn comrade Jessie Duarte, but to celebrate her hugely impactful life. She was a faithful, dedicated and fiercely loyal leader of the ANC - it is difficult to imagine the ANC without our beloved deputy secretary general and to think that we will never again hear her voice and her humorous laughter carrying down the corridors of Luthuli House," said Ramaphosa.

He said Duarte was a dynamite-like and dynamic leader who played a huge role in fighting racist and patriarchal systems. 

Duarte served for close to 10 years as ANC deputy secretary general and for 25 years she served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the party.

Her funeral was attended by members of the ANC, Cabinet Ministers, Parliament Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, former President Kgalema Motlanthe, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and former Gauteng Premier Tokyo Sexwale.

Ramaphosa said from her youth she served the party with distinction, humility and passion.

He said she contributed immensely at the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the experience of women who were detained in apartheid jails.

"We remember the courage with which she spoke against the abuse of women, not just by the apartheid security forces but within the ranks of our liberation movement, and also the abuse of women generally in the country. Even in the democratic era, she was relentless in advancing the position of women in all areas of public and private life,"  he added.

Further, he said Duarte did not hesitate to confront the inadequate representation of women in the structures of the ANC.

He added that her involvement in the mobilisation of domestic workers was part of her lifelong commitment to the struggles of the working class.

In 1987, during the Great Miners Strike, Duarte was among many who organised themselves as part of the strike committee in helping 340 000 mineworkers who went on strike for 21 days.

Ramaphosa urged her family to publish her work for future generations as she had promised to write during her retirement.

The President said she would always speak out on what she believed was right.

“She felt that we were not putting enough emphasis on promoting and advancing non-racialism in our country. This is a deficiency that we are now called upon to remedy. Drawing on her example, we should as leaders and activists, humble ourselves for our people and correct some of those issues that comrade Jessie was pained by," emphasised Ramaphosa.

He called on the party to champion work she was passionate about - helping the poor, working class and the vulnerable.

Duarte had also been crucial during the recent case involving the death in custody of anti-apartheid leader Ahmed Timol.

Ramaphosa said Duarte was someone who would be remembered for being a courageous leader.

Ramaphosa said she was a unifier, great leader and did her work with dedication.

He said she believed there was no difficulty nor challenge that could not be overcome by a people united in purpose and action.

Ramaphosa said she stood firm against factionalism in the party and encouraged the party to strive in building a united movement.

Mashatile said the ANC is organising a national memorial service expected to take place on Thursday.