Zuma calls allegations against his daughter baseless, malicious

MK Party President Jacob Zuma addressing MK Party supporters outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

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Former President Jacob Zuma says the charges against his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla are baseless and malicious. Zuma was addressing MK party supporters outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Zuma-Sambudla, who has been released on warning, appeared on a charge of incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence.

She has been charged with incitement to commit public violence in relation to the July 2021 riots which erupted after the arrest of her father for violating a Constitutional Court order to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.

The state says Zuma-Sambudla’s arrest brings the total number of people arrested in connection with the July unrest to 69 with one successful conviction thus far. Her matter has been transferred to the Durban High Court and she is expected to reappear on the 20th of March.

Outside the court, MK Party supporters came out in their numbers. Party leader Jacob Zuma told supporters that the charges are a travesty of justice.

“Questions – why would the state charge someone for expressing her views on social media? … It’s clear that the charges are malicious,” says Zuma.

Video: Zuma addresses crowd after court released his daughter on warning

Four years after the July civil unrest, Zuma-Sambudla has been charged. She is accused of fueling and inciting violence during the 2021 riots which claimed the lives of over 350 people.

Zuma-Sambudla is a member of parliament representing the uMkhonto weSizwe party.

In court, the state argued that she incited violence through her tweets, triggering deadly riots following her father’s arrest for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry in 2021. And whilst the state didn’t oppose bail in the matter, it said it had a strong case against her.

Arguing before the court, Zuma-Sambudla’s attorney, Adv. Dali Mpofu says they intend to pursue a case of malicious prosecution against the state.

“The state has a weak case, adding that why would it take four years for the state to come up with a case that is based on social media posts from 2021?,” asks Mpofu.

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla appears in Court