The daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma has appeared in court, facing serious charges connected to the devastating 2021 civil unrest that left the nation reeling.
Social Media Posts Form Basis of Unprecedented Charges
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a 43-year-old politician, pleaded not guilty to charges of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence as her trial commenced in Durban. This case marks a legal first for South Africa, being the inaugural prosecution where terrorism-related charges are founded exclusively on social media activity.
The turmoil erupted in July 2021 after her father, Jacob Zuma, surrendered to police to serve a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. His imprisonment, resulting from a refusal to testify before a corruption inquiry, ignited violent protests and widespread looting across the country's two most populous provinces.
Deadly Consequences and Political Allegiances
The subsequent riots are considered the worst episode of domestic unrest South Africa has witnessed since the end of apartheid. The human and economic cost was staggering, with more than 350 people killed and the national economy severely damaged.
Prosecutors allege that Zuma-Sambudla played a pivotal role in fomenting this violence. They claim she intentionally and unlawfully encouraged the public to commit acts of violence, ostensibly to secure her father's release from prison. Evidence presented points to the creation of 164 WhatsApp chat groups specifically designed to coordinate the disturbances.
Zuma-Sambudla, who appeared in court smiling and seemingly at ease, has publicly denied the allegations. In a previous hearing, she wore a shirt with the words "Modern Day Terrorist," a move interpreted as a satirical retort to the charges against her.
A Family's Defence and a Nation's Scars
Her father was present in court to offer support, a show of solidarity for the daughter born during his exile in Mozambique. The Zuma family and their allies maintain that the prosecution is politically motivated.
Mzwanele Manyi, a representative of the Jacob Zuma Foundation, asserted that this case is part of a long-running campaign by state institutions to target the former president and his associates. He argued that Zuma-Sambudla's social media posts were merely reactive commentaries on the unrest already unfolding, echoing the frustration of millions over the jailing of a "liberation hero."
The corruption commission at the heart of the initial controversy primarily investigated dealings involving the Gupta family, three brothers from India who allegedly secured lucrative government contracts and wielded significant influence over cabinet appointments during Zuma's presidency.
Since the events, Zuma-Sambudla has followed her father politically. After he left the long-ruling African National Congress (ANC) in 2023 to form the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, she became one of his key allies and was elected to the national assembly in the following year's election.
