Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges as her high-profile trial began in Durban. The 43-year-old is accused of inciting public violence and terrorism through social media posts during the deadly 2021 riots that erupted after her father’s arrest.
The week-long unrest, which swept through KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, left more than 300 people dead and caused an estimated $2.8 billion in damage. Prosecutors claim Zuma-Sambudla’s online comments helped fuel the chaos, which saw widespread looting and destruction.
Her defense, however, insists the charges are politically motivated and aimed at punishing the Zuma family for the former president’s ongoing rivalry with the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The Jacob Zuma Foundation has condemned the trial as “an abuse of power” and a “campaign of political and familial harassment.”
Supporters from Zuma’s new political party, uMkhonto weSizwe, gathered outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, while the former president and party leaders attended proceedings inside.
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