A South African court has set the trial date for Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, for November 10th. Zuma-Sambudla faces charges of inciting terrorism and public violence in connection with the 2021 riots that resulted in over 350 fatalities. These violent protests erupted following the imprisonment of her father for contempt of court after he refused to participate in a corruption inquiry.
Pre-Trial and Historical Context
The Durban High Court has scheduled a pre-trial assessment for August 14th. The unrest, which became the deadliest in South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, primarily affected KwaZulu-Natal and spread to Johannesburg. In response, President Cyril Ramaphosa, who succeeded Zuma, deployed military forces to quell the violence, describing it as an attempted insurrection.
Background on Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma, who served as the country’s president from 2009 to 2018, was initially sentenced to 15 months in prison but was released early on health grounds. His daughter denies the charges against her, viewing the case as politically driven.
Source: Read more