🔗 Share this article Daughter of Ex- South African Leader Zuma Denies Terror-Related Charges as Trial Commences The defendant has asserted that the prosecution's case against her is unsubstantiated The daughter of former South African Head of State Zuma has entered a not guilty plea to terror-linked allegations at the start of her trial in the harbor city of the city of Durban. Zuma-Sambudla, forty-three, is being charged over comments she made on social media in the past during violent demonstrations in South Africa that followed the apprehension of her father. A seven-day period of chaos in various areas of the country in July 2021, including theft and arson, caused at least 300 dead and led to damage worth an approximate 2.8 billion dollars (£2.2 billion). Zuma-Sambudla has been charged of encouraging this unrest and confronts accusations of encouragement to commit terror-related activities and public violence. Context of the Case The protests were concentrated in the regions of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and followed the previous president's detention for ignoring a legal directive to appear as a witness at an probe into claims of impropriety while he was holding office. She has always denied the accusations against her, with her attorney earlier calling the prosecution's legal argument as unsubstantiated. She has also consistently claimed the allegations against her were an bid to resolve political scores with her dad after he started his own political organization and ran against the ruling party. Support and Legal Defense This was reinforced by the Zuma foundation, which claimed the case was an "power abuse" and a "organized effort" of "political and familial targeting" against the ex-leader and his kin. A few of backers from her group, her party, gathered outside the provincial high court, while her father and other organization officials were present at the court sessions inside. Her legal team has argued that the evidence presented by government lawyers is inadequate and fails to provide substantial evidence for a criminal finding. Main Aspects of the Legal Proceedings Online posts from 2019 form the foundation of the state's argument Fatal demonstrations in 2021 resulted in major fatalities and economic losses The defendant faces multiple counts of encouragement to public disorder Legal trials are anticipated to carry on for several days The legal proceedings continues as all parties present their cases before the judicial authority in what is expected to be a carefully observed court case with significant political ramifications for South Africa.