Jacob Zuma to Take the Stand in Daughter’s Trial Over 2021 Violence

The long-awaited trial of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, is set to resume next week in the Durban High Court, and the courtroom is expected to see the former president himself take the stand.

Zuma-Sambudla faces three counts of incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence in connection with the July 2021 unrest, a period that saw widespread property destruction, economic disruption, and social upheaval across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

The Defence Plans a Bold Opening

On the second day of the trial, Zuma-Sambudla’s lead attorney, Advocate Dali Mpofu, signalled a high-profile start to the defence case. He revealed that Jacob Zuma, now leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), would be the first witness to testify.

According to Mpofu, the former president will challenge the State’s evidence and argue that his daughter’s prosecution is politically motivated—a claim that taps into long-running debates about the intersection of justice and politics in South Africa.

Cellphone Expert to Clarify Evidence

The State has indicated that it will call a cellphone expert after Zuma testifies. Advocate Yuri Gangai told the court that this witness will analyse the origin of video clips and posts shared by Zuma-Sambudla on social media during the unrest.

The expert, specialising in extracting and verifying cellphone data, will help the court determine whether Zuma-Sambudla personally coordinated content with individuals across the 164 WhatsApp groups implicated in the riots, or whether she merely circulated material that was already trending online—a key point of contention in the trial.

Questioning the Complaint

During cross-examination of State witness Sarah-Jane Trent, defence attorney Mpofu probed the role of private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan. Trent initially claimed to have opened the case herself, but later clarified it was on behalf of Forensics for Change, the organisation she runs with O’Sullivan, who also funded the group’s activities.

When asked if she had verified the authenticity of the social media posts before opening the case, Trent admitted she had not. She maintained, however, that Zuma-Sambudla would be “lying” if she claimed any posts came from fake accounts.

Political Motivation at the Heart of the Defence

Mpofu suggested the complaint itself may be politically motivated, arguing that Zuma-Sambudla’s prosecution is “all about who she is and who her father is.” This assertion frames the trial not just as a legal battle, but as a reflection of broader tensions in South African politics, particularly around the legacy and influence of Jacob Zuma.

Next Steps

The trial was adjourned and is scheduled to resume next Monday, when attention will turn to both the testimony of Jacob Zuma and the findings of the cellphone expert. As the courtroom prepares for a potentially explosive week, the trial remains a focal point for both legal scrutiny and public debate over the events of July 2021.

Social media has already begun buzzing with reactions, with commentators divided between seeing Zuma’s defence as a legitimate challenge to the State’s case and viewing it as an attempt to politicise judicial proceedings.

One thing is certain: the eyes of the nation are fixed on Durban as this trial unfolds, with the former president himself set to play a central role.

Source: The Witness

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