Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to Be Charged for Role in 2021 South African Riots

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of ex-President Jacob Zuma, is set to be charged for her suspected involvement in the 2021 riots that caused significant devastation in South Africa, as her social media posts potentially stoked civil unrest.

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma, is facing legal charges for her purported role in the civil unrest that unfolded in July 2021, resulting in over 300 fatalities. Prosecutors have indicated that her involvement is linked to incendiary social media content that allegedly incited violence following her father's imprisonment, which ignited widespread protests across the nation, particularly in Durban and Gauteng.

Zuma-Sambudla is a polarizing figure within South Africa and currently holds a senior position in her father's new political party, uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK). The party has encouraged supporters to gather in large numbers at her court appearance scheduled for Thursday in Durban. Although Zuma-Sambudla has not directly addressed the charges, she has posted a cryptic statement on social media, alluding to the ongoing circumstances with the phrase "We see you."

This is not her first association with the 2021 riots, regarded as one of the most deadly in the nation's history since apartheid. Following her father's jailing due to corruption allegations, she became notably active on social media, chronicling the chaos and destruction with posts that included phrases like "KZN, we see you." Among her controversial interactions, she previously shared a video of someone shooting an automatic weapon at a poster of current President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The Hawks, an elite police unit, had earlier indicated they were not directly pursuing Zuma-Sambudla but acknowledged her name had been mentioned in witness statements. In reaction to ongoing investigations, she has displayed defiance on social media, claiming, "I have no fear! I will not be intimidated!" Her father's supporters allege that the Zuma family is being unfairly targeted politically.

A report released by the South African Human Rights Commission described the riots as a "carefully orchestrated event" but found no direct correlation with Zuma’s arrest. The aftermath of the unrest was severe, resulting in the looting of over 200 shopping malls and an estimated loss of 150,000 jobs. President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the violence as an "attempted insurrection."

Last year, Zuma's new political party, MK, faced off against the ANC in elections, securing 15% of the votes and establishing itself as the country's third-largest political party. As Zuma-Sambudla prepares for her court appearance, the repercussions of her actions and the overarching impact of the riots continue to resonate throughout South African society.