The state has set aside 10 days for the high profile trial of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, who is accused of instigating violence during the deadly riots of July 2021, where over 300 people died.
A high-spirited Zuma-Sambudla made a brief court appearance before the Durban High Court on Thursday. Her case was certified as trial-ready.
The state, through the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), then announced that her trial will take place between November 10 and 21 in the same court.
Incitement to commit terrorism
She faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence. She has denied the charges. And she was then freed on a warning after the state did not oppose her bail application.
The July 2021 unrest ravaged mainly the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Businesses were looted and burnt down. They were sparked by the jailing of Jacob Zuma for contempt of the Constitutional Court. He was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for defying a directive to appear before the Zondo commission and answer all state capture-related questions.
During the unrest, Duduzile was all over X (formerly Twitter). She posted: “We see you.” And she also posted messages that may have been deemed to be inciting violence and lawlessness.
List of perpetrators
Zuma-Sambudla has joined a growing list of the July unrest suspects. It includes former MKP Youth Leader Bonginkosi Khanyile, accused of inciting violence. Khanyile is currently being tried in the same court in Durban. His case was postponed to September for the state to conduct more investigations.
The cases against some of the accused, however, have been dismissed by the courts after numerous postponements. Former Ukhozi FM presenter Ngizwe Mchunu once faced similar charges in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg but was later acquitted.
