Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, allegedly exploited her political influence and large social media following to incite public violence during the July 2021 unrest, the Durban High Court heard on Tuesday.
The testimony came from Sarah-Jane Trent, a complainant in the case and former employee of forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan. Trent told the court she laid criminal charges against Zuma-Sambudla after viewing a series of tweets she believed were directly responsible for stoking panic and encouraging destructive protests.
“As the daughter of the former president and someone with thousands of followers looking to her for leadership, her words carried immense weight,” Trent said.
“I feared the violence – the burning of vehicles, looting, and threats involving firearms – would spread to Johannesburg and even reach my doorstep. It had to be stopped.”
Zuma-Sambudla, now an MP for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, faces charges of incitement to commit public violence and terrorism. She has pleaded not guilty, with her defence arguing the case is politically motivated.
Prosecutors allege that between late June and mid-July 2021, Zuma-Sambudla used her Twitter account to rally supporters amid widespread anger over her father’s imprisonment for contempt of court.
Trent highlighted one tweet in particular: a video showing burning vehicles at Mooi Plaza, accompanied by the caption “We See You” with a fist emoji and the hashtag #FreeJacobZuma.
“This was not neutral commentary,” Trent told the court.
“It was encouragement – glorifying arson as a form of protest against Jacob Zuma’s arrest.”
She added that posts around 8 July 2021 – the deadline for Zuma to surrender – shifted tone, openly calling on people to “come together” and “fight” for his release.
The 2021 riots, which erupted in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, resulted in over 350 deaths, widespread looting, and billions of rands in damage to infrastructure and businesses.
The state argues Zuma-Sambudla’s online activity formed part of a broader campaign to destabilise the country, while the defence insists she neither organised nor participated in the violence.
The trial continues.