Jessie Duarte quits

President Jacob Zuma's chief operations officer, Jessie Duarte, has resigned as ugly rivalries among Zuma's most senior officials threaten to cripple the Presidency.

Duarte informed ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe of her decision in an emotional e-mail on Thursday. She cited, among other things, a "smear" campaign, rumour mongering, "gossip" and "vilifications" as reasons for her decision.

She told Mantashe that she would inform Zuma - who leaves on a state visit to the UK tomorrow - about her decision "as soon as his time permits me to do so".

The veteran activist was elected onto the ANC's national executive committee at the Polokwane conference in 2007 and served as the party's official spokesman until she was appointed to the powerful Presidency position in August 2009.

Duarte did not name her alleged tormentors, but the Sunday Times has independently verified from insiders that Duarte does not see eye to eye with deputy director-general Lakela Kaunda, the head of the Private Office of the President.

Kaunda has enjoyed a close relationship with Zuma for more than 15 years and is said to be the real power in the Presidency. She worked as his spokesman when he was KwaZulu-Natal economics MEC, and when he was the country's deputy president.

"They have been fighting for some time. They both like power and are bullies," said an insider, who added that the two had "clashed over many administration issues".

These include Duarte's unhappiness about Kaunda allegedly blocking Zuma's senior advisers from meeting with the president on a regular basis, something that has frustrated Presidency officials.

In the e-mail sent to Mantashe, Duarte said there had been "jibes and suggestions" made to her over the past weeks to the effect 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.

"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.

She added: "It is with this in mind that I inform you of my intention to resign as the COO in the Office of the President. I am here at the behest of the ANC and I intend to remain in my political home for the rest of my life. I will also remain in the NEC ... because branches elected me thereto."

Duarte said her love for the ANC was "not at issue here".

"What is at issue is that I despise being bullied and when bullies do not get their way, they resort to vilification. Now the fight from my side will go (to) the door of every bully."

She told Mantashe that she needed "the freedom to engage with the issues and the smears that are now associated with my name". She added angrily: "We applaud bad behaviour in the ANC, we applaud vilification and even minute the lies people tell in our meetings. I am sorry to advise you that I will no longer be doing that. I cannot fight back trapped in the role of a civil servant. The bid for leadership in 2014 (the next general election) is rendering our movement a casualty for wealth and power," Duarte wrote.

"I am not owed a living by the ANC or the government and I have never asked to be deployed, and felt honoured each time I was asked to undertake a task."

Duarte, who was hounded out of her job as Gauteng safety and security MEC in 1997 following a commission of inquiry into her department, said this time she would not fall victim to smear campaigns without fighting back.

" ... In 1997 ... through lies and innuendo and media nuanced messages, I resigned from my deployment, with one real blemish, I drove a state vehicle without a licence and paid a R300 fine. Then, a commission of inquiry was convened, which cost the taxpayer over R3-million. Then, I was accused of taking a 'lover' on a trip. Then I was accused of fraud. The allegations were investigated and found to be untrue," she said.

Presidency spokesman Vusi Mona said they had not received any official resignation from Duarte. He said that if the ANC's headquarters had received such notice, it would be best for them to comment.

A senior government official said Duarte's main target in the letter was Kaunda. The official said people like Duarte needed to "focus on what they were employed to do and not concern themselves about who is close to the president".

Mantashe yesterday said he had not "seen the letter. The letter has not arrived on my desk." Dlodlo refused to speak to the Sunday Times about the issue and Duarte declined to comment.

> AUDIO ARCHIVES: Duarte goes ballistic