Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s high-profile trial is set to begin at the Durban High Court on Monday. The daughter of former president Jacob Zuma faces charges of inciting public violence and terrorism.
These charges are linked to her alleged role in the deadly July unrest of 2021. The unrest led to over 350 deaths and caused billions of rands in economic damage across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Zuma-Sambudla, a uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party Member of Parliament, has pleaded not guilty. She and her supporters maintain the charges are a political ploy. The Jacob Zuma Foundation has described the case as cruel and an abuse of state power. They claim the state is targeting her to settle political scores with her father.
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Social media posts at the centre of the case
The state’s case centres on Zuma-Sambudla’s social media activity during the riots. Prosecutors allege she used her X account to encourage the violence. She allegedly posted videos of looting and arson.
One post reportedly included the phrase “we see you”. Another used the Zulu word “azishe,” which means “let it burn”. This, the state argues, incited her thousands of followers to continue the destruction. The charges were brought forward after a forensic report from Paul O’Sullivan’s Forensics for Justice analysed her posts.
This trial is seen as a significant test for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The prosecution must prove her posts directly caused the violence. The trial is expected to last for two weeks and has drawn significant public and political interest, reigniting debates over accountability for the July unrest.
Image: Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla at the MK Party media conference at The Capital Empire in Sandhurst on 22 August 2024. [Credit: Gallo Images / Luba Lesolle]
