Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to appear in court over July 2021 unrest, MK party announces

Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla will appear in court on Thursday concerning the July 2021 unrest.

The party announced on Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Zuma-Sambudla will appear at the Durban Magistrate’s Court at 9am on charges connected with the July 2021 unrest.

The party called on members to attend and support her.

Zuma-Sambudla appearing at Durban Magistrate’s Court

“Let us mobilise all ground forces to attend in numbers,” the party said.

The MK party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, also confirmed to News24 that the state served Zuma-Sambudla’s attorney with the charges last week.

The 8-to-19 July unrest in 2021 resulted in more than 350 people losing their lives and cost R50 billion in damages.

ALSO READ: Zuma’s MK party in turmoil as members allegedly threaten each other with guns

The acts of protest, violence, and looting spread across the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng provinces a day after Jacob Zuma’s imprisonment.

During the unrest, Zuma-Sambudla was an outspoken figure on Twitter, frequently sharing images of the destruction and carnage along with the words, “KZN, we see you”.

She predicted ‘Hollywood style’ arrest in 2022

In August 2022, Zuma-Sambudla predicted her possible arrest after the investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (The Hawks) into the unrest. She claimed her possible arrest would be “Hollywood style”.

“I’m told this is how my arrest will probably play out: arrest me Hollywood style on a Friday. Consider denying bail, but there might be some pressure to grant the bail. Then give me bail conditions which will include that I stay off social media, especially Twitter,” she posted on X on 14 August 2022.

In January last year, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found there was no discernible connection between the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma and the violent unrest that occurred in July 2021.

The SAHRC concluded that the timing of the events of the July unrest “coincided” with Zuma’s jailing and, therefore, “it could not find evidence to link the two events”.

ALSO READ: Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla calls for ‘unity, dialogue and peace’ in Mozambique

“It is probable that the unrest was undertaken to destabilise the economy. However, it will ultimately be within the purview of the South African Police Service [Saps] and the National Prosecuting Authority to make a conclusive finding regarding the orchestration of the unrest,” SAHRC commissioner Philile Ntuli said.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa