/
RSS Feed
The daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges as her trial began in Durban on Monday.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is accused of inciting violence through social media posts made during the deadly unrest that swept parts of South Africa in July 2021, following her father’s arrest.
The week-long riots — marked by widespread looting, arson, and destruction — left more than 300 people dead and caused an estimated $2.8 billion (£2.2 billion) in damage.
Prosecutors allege that Zuma-Sambudla’s online comments helped fuel the chaos. She faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence. The 43-year-old has consistently denied the accusations, with her lawyer previously describing the state’s case as weak.
The violence erupted after Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court for refusing to testify at a commission investigating corruption during his presidency.
Zuma-Sambudla has claimed the charges are politically motivated, calling them an attempt to target her family after her father formed a new party, uMkhonto weSizwe, which has challenged the ruling ANC.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation echoed that sentiment, condemning the case as an “abuse of power” and a “systematic campaign of political and familial harassment.”
A small group of uMkhonto weSizwe supporters gathered outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, while Jacob Zuma and other party leaders attended proceedings inside.
