Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, appeared in court on Monday to face charges of incitement to cause terrorism, linked to the deadly July 2021 riots that claimed over 350 lives. The unrest, which erupted after Zuma’s imprisonment for defying a court order to testify in a corruption inquiry, marked the deadliest violence in South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994. Zuma-Sambudla, now a member of parliament for the MK Party founded by her father, is the most prominent among over 60 individuals charged in connection with the riots. She is accused of inciting violence through social media posts made before and during the unrest, to which she has pleaded not guilty. The riots, which began in KwaZulu-Natal and spread to Gauteng, saw widespread looting, property destruction, and an estimated $2 billion in damages. Authorities described the violence as an attempted insurrection by Zuma’s supporters, while critics lambasted law enforcement for their unpreparedness. Zuma-Sambudla’s social media activity, including a post stating ‘We see you’ in response to rioters, is central to the case. A government-backed probe found that while Zuma’s arrest triggered the riots, underlying frustrations over poverty during COVID-19 lockdowns also fueled the chaos. Jacob Zuma, who served only two months of an 18-month sentence, was released as part of a broader decision affecting nonviolent offenders.
Daughter of ex-South Africa president Zuma faces trial over deadly riots. Here’s what to know
