Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges at the start of her trial in Durban.
She is being prosecuted over comments she made on social media four years ago during deadly protests that followed her father’s arrest.
The week-long unrest in July 2021, which included looting and arson, left at least 300 people dead and caused damage worth an estimated $2.8 billion.
Zuma-Sambudla, 43, faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence.
Her lawyer has labelled the state’s case as weak, and she has repeatedly claimed the charges are an attempt to settle political scores with her father, who has started his own political party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has echoed this sentiment, stating that the case is an “abuse of power” and a “systematic campaign of political and familial harassment” against the former president and his family.
Supporters from the MK party have shown up to support Zuma-Sambudla, and her father has attended the hearings.
The trial is expected to spotlight the ongoing political divisions in South Africa and the lingering scars of the 2021 riots.
