Durban court trial of Jacob Zuma’s daughter sparks claims of political persecution

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, on Monday pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges during a Durban court appearance.

Reports indicate that a small group of supporters from her party, uMkhonto weSizwe, gathered outside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, while her father and other party leaders attended the hearing inside.

Zuma-Sambudla, 43, is accused of using social media to incite the violent July 2021 protests that erupted after her father was arrested for defying a court order to testify in a corruption inquiry. The week-long unrest left at least 300 people dead and caused an estimated $2.8 billion (Sh361.5 billion) in damages.

She faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism, public violence, and violating the Riotous Assemblies Act, which prohibits gatherings intended to provoke riots.

Zuma-Sambudla has consistently denied the allegations. Her lawyer has described the case as weak, while her family has labelled it a politically motivated attack against her father.

Persecution claims

Earlier on Monday, the Jacob Zuma Foundation criticised the trial as continued persecution of Zuma's family, arguing that Zuma-Sambudla's only “crime” was supporting her father.

"The state's case rests on a bizarre premise: that her social-media posts during July 2021 somehow 'incited' unrest. In truth, her posts were reactive commentaries on events already unfolding, as millions of South Africans expressed anguish and frustration at the unlawful imprisonment of a liberation hero," said foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi.

"It defies logic to claim that impoverished communities, many without access to food, smartphones, or data, were mobilised into action by Twitter posts."

Targeting Zuma family

Manyi also stressed that the trial forms part of a coordinated effort to target Zuma, his children, and anyone defending his legacy.

"South Africa has previously witnessed the state's repeated failures to secure convictions against President Zuma's son, Duduzane Zuma, who was unjustly dragged through the courts on contrived charges ranging from so-called 'state capture' to a tragic car accident cynically turned into a criminal prosecution," Manyi said.

"Having failed to destroy the father and the son, the state has now turned its energies to the daughter—a loyal and outspoken pillar of strength in her father's life."

The Jacob Zuma Foundation further urged South Africans to reject what it described as an abuse of prosecutorial power by the government.

"The fight against political persecution is not the fight of the Zuma family alone; it is a national struggle to defend constitutional democracy from manipulation and selective enforcement," the statement said.

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• terrorism charges
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• 2021 South Africa protests
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