Durban High Court
By Mpho Moloi
MK Party MP and daughter of Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, is set to appear in the High Court in Durban today. The 42-year-old faces serious charges linked to the deadly July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. This marks her first appearance since the case moved from the Durban Magistrate’s Court to the High Court. She is accused of inciting terrorism and public violence through social media posts on X, which the state claims fuelled chaos that killed over 300 people. Zuma-Sambudla has denied all charges, and today’s session could set the stage for a heated legal battle.
A High-Profile Case Takes Centre Stage
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s court appearance today is a big moment in a case that has gripped South Africa. The charges stem from the July 2021 unrest, a dark chapter that saw widespread looting, violence, and destruction after former President Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court. The state alleges that Zuma-Sambudla, then an outspoken figure on X (formerly Twitter), posted inflammatory messages that sparked the chaos. Over 300 lives were lost, and damages ran into billions of rands, hitting businesses and communities hard in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Today’s session is expected to be short, with prosecutors and Zuma-Sambudla’s legal team, led by advocate Dali Mpofu, likely sorting out pre-trial matters. But the stakes are high. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has called this a “unique and complex case,” as it’s the first time they’ve charged someone for incitement based solely on social media posts (The Citizen, 31 January 2025). During her January bail hearing, Zuma-Sambudla admitted that her father’s arrest triggered her posts but insisted they were not meant to incite violence.
From Tweets to Terrorism Charges
The heart of the case lies in Zuma-Sambudla’s X activity during the unrest. Posts like “KZN, we see you” alongside images of looting and destruction are central to the state’s argument. Prosecutors say these messages encouraged the violence that tore through Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and parts of Gauteng from 8 to 19 July 2021. One now-deleted post even showed someone firing a rifle at a poster of President Cyril Ramaphosa, raising eyebrows further (BBC, 29 January 2025).
Zuma-Sambudla, however, sees it differently. “I will wear these charges as a badge of honour,” she said in a statement after her first court appearance on 30 January 2025 (TimesLIVE, 1 February 2025). She claims the case is a political attack aimed at her father, Jacob Zuma, who leads the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. Released on a warning in January, she’s vowed to fight the charges, pleading not guilty and accusing the NPA of “malicious prosecution.”
Legal experts are watching closely. Roy Bregman, a director at Bregman Moodley Attorneys, told The Citizen (31 January 2025) that this case could set a precedent for how South Africa handles free speech online. “It’s about balancing expression with the harm it might cause,” he said. The state must prove her posts directly led to the unrest—a tough task, given a 2023 South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) report found no clear link between Zuma’s jailing and the violence (IOL, 13 January 2023).
MK Party Rallies Behind Zuma-Sambudla
Expect a big turnout at the Durban High Court today. Scores of MK Party supporters, including Jacob Zuma himself, are set to gather outside in a show of solidarity. The party has called the charges “politically motivated” and urged its members to mobilise (The South African, 19 March 2025). MK Youth League coordinator Nkateko Mkhabela echoed this, saying, “This is not about law—it’s about silencing Duduzile and the MK Party” (The South African, 31 January 2025).
Jacob Zuma, a towering figure in the saga, was at his daughter’s side during her January hearing, alongside her twin brother Duduzane and party heavyweights like Floyd Shivambu and Nhlamulo Ndhlela. Today, police are on high alert, expecting a repeat of the large crowds that greeted her last appearance (TimesLIVE, 29 January 2025). Colonel Robert Netshiunda told the press, “We’re ready to monitor the situation. We’ve handled big cases like this before.”
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