Durban, South Africa — The daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, appeared in the Durban High Court on 10 November 2025 to face charges of terrorism and incitement to commit public violence, linked to the deadly July 2021 unrest.
Zuma-Sambudla pleaded not guilty, challenging the case as politically motivated and arguing her social-media posts constituted commentary rather than incitement. News24+2The Witness+2
Prosecutors allege that during the unrest — which followed Zuma’s imprisonment for contempt of court — she used platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp groups to incite violence. The state claims some 164 WhatsApp groups were used to coordinate the unrest, which left hundreds dead and caused immense economic damage. Diamond Fields Advertiser+2EWN+2
In count, Zuma-Sambudla faces multiple charges, including under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA). The trial is scheduled to run for two weeks. IOL+1
Her political party, the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), and the Jacob Zuma Foundation have denounced the prosecution, describing it as a misuse of state institutions to settle political scores against the Zuma family. IOL+1
As the high-profile case unfolds, it underscores deep tensions in South Africa’s justice and political systems, and raises questions about social-media accountability, freedom of expression, and the line between political speech and criminal liability.
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