Charges against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla are politically motivated

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UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party Youth League insists that the charges against its leader and former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla are politically motivated.

Zuma-Sambudla appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 30 January, on charges under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA) and incitement to commit violence in July 2021.

In July 2021, Zuma’s supporters in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal protested against his incarceration resulting in riots and looting that destroyed a number of businesses, with over 300 people losing their lives.

MK PARTY SLAMS CHARGES AGAINST DUDUZILE ZUMA-SAMBUDLA

As previously reported, Zuma-Sambudla handed herself over at Durban Central police station earlier on Thursday, where she was arrested and processed.

The 42-year-old member of Parliament was released on warning. The matter was postponed to 20 March and was transferred to the Durban High Court.

The MK Party youth league said the charges against Zuma-Sambudla are frivolous and baseless. They are part of a broader orchestrated assault not only on Zuma-Sambudla and her family, but also on the MK Party, its members and the democratic will of people.

MK Party Youth League’s national coordinator, Nkateko Mkhabela said the persecution of Zuma-Sambudla follows the same vindictive pattern inflicted upon her father.

“The same persecution was directed at Duduzane Zuma, falsely accused and vilified simply for standing up against the corrupt establishment. Now, the same playbook is being used against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla,” Mkhabela said.

“This case is not about the law but about intimidation and political suppression. We urge all our branches, members and supporters to stand firm and prepare for mass mobilisation in defence of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and the MK Party,” he added.

NPA EXPLAINS WHY IT TOOK LONG TO PURSUE CHARGES

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson advocate Mthunzi Mhaga told journalists that the matter was delayed because it was the first time that the NPA charged someone based on content posted on social media (X) for content that they consider amounts to incitement to commit terrorism.

“It’s a unique and complex case in that reliance on the investigation and evidence is based on social media posts. It’s a technical investigation where some of the parts of the investigation had to be outsourced in terms of experts on social media because SAPS doesn’t have an expert in social media,” Mhaga said.

Mhaga said another issue is that emojis and images needed to be interpreted by an expert in that field. Additionally, procurement processes needed to be followed to source or procure that investigative resource.

“The process of investigating the matter, therefore, became more protracted than we anticipated. It is why it took almost three years for the matter to finally have a decision made by the prosecution team, a memorandum presented to the national director of public prosecutions to authorise the prosecution,” he added.