In brief
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma, will stand trial for terrorism-related charges due to her social media activity during the 2021 protests. The case has sparked discussions about politics and justice in South Africa as her father now leads a rival political party.
A new chapter in South Africa's long-running Zuma saga is set to begin with the 43-year-old daughter of the former president due to go on trial this week on terrorism-related charges.
In what is believed to be a first for the country, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is being prosecuted over what she wrote on social media four years ago during deadly protests.
Jacob Zuma's nine-year presidency, littered with controversies, came to a halt in 2018 amid extensive graft allegations - all denied.
In 2021 he was jailed for failing to show up at a corruption inquiry, triggering protests and the worst scenes of violence since before the start of the democratic era in 1994.
A week of anarchy in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, including looting and arson, left at least 300 people dead and caused an estimated $2.8bn (£2.2bn) damage.
Prosecutors allege Zuma-Sambudla played a central role in stoking this.
This unique trial will be a chance for the state's legal team to prove its mettle in successfully prosecuting cases relating to the 2021 unrest, but the accused sees it as an attempt to settle political scores with her father.
Several dozen posts from July 2021 on social media are at the heart of the state's case against her, including tweets that shared footage of acts of violence.
Despite the serious allegations, her legal team describes the case as weak. The outcome of this trial could influence South Africa's future political landscape amidst continuing divisions tied to the Zuma family legacy.
