MK Party Claims Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s Arrest Was Politically Motivated, Political Analyst Agrees

• Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla was arrested and appeared in court over the July 2021 unrest that hit Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
• Jacob Zuma's daughter is charged with incitement to commit terrorism and incitement to commit public violence
• The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party described the case as a political witch hunt against the Zuma family
• Political analyst Dr Jantjies Xaba spoke to Briefly News about the case against Zuma-Sambudla

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s arrest and appearance in court have been described as being politically motivated, something Dr Jantjie Xaba agrees with.

Dr Xaba, a political analyst who is a lecturer at Stellenbosch University, chatted exclusively to Briefly News about the matter.

Zuma-Sambudla appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on 30 January 2025, charged with incitement to commit terrorism and incitement to commit public violence, with charges stemming from her conduct during the July 2021 unrest.

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During her appearance, Zuma-Sambudla claimed that the charges were malicious and politically motivated.

“They are aimed at settling political scores with my father, by the current regime,” she said in her affidavit.

That narrative was echoed by MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, who added that it was directed at MK Party leader Jacob Zuma.

"That’s just a clear indication that this is just a political ploy. It’s a political witch hunt against the Zuma family and like I said, there are Zuma laws and then there are everyone's laws," he noted.

Analyst agrees charges are politically motivated

Speaking to Briefly News, Dr Xaba said that the case was indeed politically driven.

“Although no one individual is likely to benefit from this case, the ruling party, including the Cyril Ramaphosa faction in the ANC, is going to benefit,” he said.

The Stellenbosch University lecturer added that for him, the case should not be about political motives, but rather about political accountability for the damage and loss of lives.

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“Someone must be held accountable for making decisions that resulted in the loss of over 300 lives. This is a lesson for politicians,” he noted.

Court case could impact 2026 Local Government Elections

Dr Xaba also analysed how the current court case could impact the elections next year. He stated that Zuma and his daughter were most likely to suffer political damage as a result. Dr Xaba added that the charges were likely to affect MKP’s credibility in the 2026 election, especially if Duduzile was found guilty.

“You need to remember we are dealing with a shrewd politician who can turn this misfortune into a successful election campaign. He is known for playing victim even when he is guilty – a typical cantankerous person,” Dr Xaba added.

Charges emanate from the commission’s findings

While reflecting on the charges, he noted that there was a good chance something would come of it, as they emanated from the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) recommendation. He added that whether the NPA would be able to achieve a conviction depended on the evidence, the courts and the deal Zuma could make with the ANC.

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He also said it was possible the unrest could repeat itself if Zuma-Sambudla was convicted, but added that when people looked back at the lives lost during the last unrest, no logical and responsible people would associate with such activities.

"We must think about the families who lost loved ones during the unrest and ask ourselves what we would do if, when such unrest is repeated, we were the ones who lost relatives."

NPA explains 3-year delay in charging Zuma-Sambudla

Briefly News reported how the National Prosecuting Authority explained why it took three years to charge Zuma-Sambudla for any crimes.

The daughter of Jacob Zuma appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court about tweets she published during the July 2021 unrest.

South Africans expressed doubt that anything would happen and believed that the case would just drag on for years.

Source: Briefly News