Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges at the start of her trial in Durban. The charges stem from comments she made on social media four years ago, amid deadly protests in South Africa following her father's arrest.
The unrest in July 2021 resulted in significant violence, including looting and arson, leaving over 300 people dead and causing an estimated $2.8 billion in damages. Zuma-Sambudla, aged 43, faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence, which she has consistently denied.
The protests occurred after Jacob Zuma was arrested for violating a court order to testify in a corruption inquiry. Throughout the trial, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has argued that the charges are part of a political vendetta against her family, particularly following her father's establishment of a new political party that opposes the dominant African National Congress (ANC).
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has described the prosecution as an abuse of power and accused the state of waging a systematic campaign against the Zuma family. Supporters of Zuma-Sambudla gathered outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court to show solidarity as her father and other party leaders attended the proceedings.
