State witness says Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla encouraged violent acts

A state witness told the Durban High Court on Tuesday that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla used her social media to encourage people to continue looting and civil disobediance during the July 2021 unrest.

The case relates to the July 2021 unrest that gripped parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Zuma-Sambudla faces three counts of incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence. The State alleges that her social media posts during that period encouraged violent acts that led to the destruction of property, disruption of essential services and widespread economic losses.

Witness Sara-Jane Trent, the former employee of forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, said she had laid charges against Zuma-Sambudla as she feared that what had been taking place in KwaZulu-Natal would spread to Johannesburg, where Trent lived.

At the start of the trial on Monday, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) Member of Parliament and daughter of party founder, Jacob Zuma, pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Trent on Tuesday told the court that she felt that Zuma-Sambudla's social media posts showed images of burning trucks and gun-wielding men but what made her believe that the tweets constituted incitement to violence, were the messages that accompanied them. 

“My Lord under these images the accused wrote encouraging messages for people to continue what was happening. If this is not incitement of violence, I do not know what it is,” said Trent.

The prosecution team led by Advocate Yuri Gangai, showed the court video clips social media posts allegedly by Zuma-Sambudla, with one on 9 July 2021, saying "Shut down KZN, Shut down roads, factories, shops and government #freeJacobZuma".

The defence, led by Advocate Dali Mpofu SC, is expected to cross-examine Trent later on Tuesday.

The trail continues.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za