The Durban High Court was tense today as Hawks’ National Coordinator for Unrest Investigations Brigadier Dineo Mokwele exposed Duduzile “Dudu” Zuma-Sambudla’s torrent of inflammatory tweets, which prosecutors say stoked the fires of the deadliest riots in South Africa.
The daughter of the former president stood stone-faced as her social media binge on July 9, 2021, which she posted just hours after Jacob Zuma’s arrest, became a national sensation. She is accused of inciting mobs that caused 354 deaths, billions in damages, and the destruction of KwaZulu-Natal. She is facing charges of incitement to terrorism and public violence under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act. Mooi Plaza (“Mooi Plaza…We See You!!!”) and Zuma-constant Sambudla’s “We See You” slogan were singled out by Mokwele as he meticulously scrolled through screenshots.
“Amandla, We See You! #FreeJacobZuma”); PMB (“PMB, We See You! And in Durban City, they say “Durban City, We See You!” “Amandla ✊🏽✊✊🏽!!! #FreeJacobZuma”). The authorities characterised these posts—which had thousands of likes and shares—along with videos of burning tires and chanting crowds as “dog whistles” that called for chaos rather than unity.
With a thunderous “These weren’t opinions; they were accelerants,” lead prosecution Advocate Niren Naidoo connected the 300,000-view frenzy to the riots’ explosive expansion from KZN to Gauteng. Pledging not guilty, Zuma-Sambudla, 40, denounced the case as “Zuma witch-hunt 2.0.” She wore a rebellious “Terrorist” T-shirt with her photo. Context is king—these were protests against injustice, not calls to arms,” advocate Thulani Makhubela, her lawyer, responded.
This is political persecution by a state that has been captured; no tweet can prove a causal relationship. Claiming to be a “state terror,” the Jacob Zuma Foundation has threatened to challenge any conviction. Coming up on cross-examination, experts are sounding the alarm that this historic investigation has the potential to reshape online free speech and hold influential people accountable for their role in the uprising.
With the MK Party’s sights set on the 2026 elections, a guilty sentence could either validate Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption fight or martyr Zuma-Sambudla, uniting the radical left. The nation is still reeling from the devastating fire of 2021, and the sound of the court’s gavel might put out the fires or spark new rage.
