Jacob Zuma’s daughter arrested for terrorism

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has been arrested for her alleged role in the 2021 riots that killed over 300 people. She is expected to appear in court on Thursday to face terrorism charges.

She is accused of inciting violence through social media during the unrest caused by her father’s imprisonment.

The elite Hawks police unit confirmed her arrest, calling it the result of a “meticulous investigation.” Zuma-Sambudla surrendered to Durban Central police station on Thursday and faces charges under anti-terrorism laws and incitement to violence.

“The arrest is as a result of a meticulous investigation by the Durban Crimes Against the State unit of the Serious Organized Crime Investigation, following the unrest that brought the country to a standstill in 2021,” Police spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said.

MK party spokesperson Nhlamule Ndhela stated that Zuma-Sambudla had been preparing for this moment, as threats of her arrest had circulated for years. He added that she would comply with the legal process.

This is not the first time her name has been linked to the riots, which erupted in response to Zuma’s 2021 imprisonment for contempt of court after refusing to testify in a corruption probe.

The violence, one of the deadliest episodes in post-apartheid South Africa, caused widespread destruction. Jacob Zuma, who led South Africa from 2009 to 2018, resigned amid corruption allegations, which he dismissed as politically motivated.

His imprisonment in 2021 set off days of looting and violence, leading to the current charges against his daughter.