Jacob Zuma's daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla appears in court over July 2021 terror allegations

Africa Melane sits with award-winning legal analyst Reitumetse Benedict Phiri to unpack the state’s decision to charge Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla under the Terrorism Act.

Listen below:

UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is appearing in court today (Thursday), facing charges related to the July 2021 unrest.  
 
State prosecutors say at the time of the disruption, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma praised the destruction and looting by tweeting, 'We see you'.

She's facing charges under Section 14 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act.

Phiri says it's rare for individuals to be charged under the Act.

"It wouldn't be often that we would have somebody charged under the Terrorism Act, because it is serious conduct you must have partaken in."

- Reitumetse Benedict Phiri, Legal analyst

The charges are the result of a criminal case which was opened by Forensics for Justice’s Paul O’Sullivan.

He created a dossier of tweets Zuma-Sambudla posted during the riots.

Phiri says they may be enough to convict her.

"... to the extent that it can be proven that those tweets constituted an incitement [of the violence]."

- Reitumetse Benedict Phiri, Legal analyst

Zuma-Sambudla voluntarily surrendered herself to police ahead of her appearance in the Durban Magistrates' Court.

MK Party members turned out at the court in support of the defendant, who is being represented by Advocate Dali Mpofu.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.