Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges as her high-profile trial began in Durban on Monday.
The 43-year-old political figure is accused of inciting violence and public unrest through social media posts during the July 2021 riots, which erupted after her father’s arrest for contempt of court. The week-long chaos, concentrated in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, left more than 300 people dead and caused property damage estimated at $2.8 billion (₤2.2 billion).
Prosecutors allege that Zuma-Sambudla’s online comments encouraged looting, arson, and attacks on businesses, framing her as one of the key voices that fuelled the violence. She faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence under South Africa’s anti-terror laws.
Zuma-Sambudla has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Her defense lawyer has dismissed the state’s case as politically motivated and lacking solid evidence. “This is nothing more than a continuation of political persecution against the Zuma family,” he said.
The accused, a senior member of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party founded by her father, maintains that the charges are part of a wider attempt to undermine her father’s growing political influence after his fallout with the African National Congress (ANC).
Outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, a small group of MK Party supporters gathered to show solidarity. Former president Jacob Zuma was also in attendance, flanked by key party officials, as proceedings got underway.
The trial, expected to draw intense public and political attention, will test South Africa’s balance between free speech and accountability in the wake of one of its most violent episodes since the end of apartheid.