🔗 Share this article Offspring of Ex- South African President Jacob Zuma Refutes Terrorism Charges as Legal Proceedings Starts Zuma-Sambudla has asserted that the prosecution's case against her is weak The daughter of previous South African President Zuma has entered a not guilty plea to terror allegations at the beginning of her court case in the port city of Durban. The defendant, 43 years old, is being tried over comments she made on digital networks in the past during fatal unrest in South Africa that came after the detention of her parent. A week of chaos in several parts of the country in mid-2021, including theft and fire-setting, caused at least 300 individuals dead and resulted in damage worth an estimated $2.8bn (£2.2 billion). The defendant has been accused of inciting this unrest and faces accusations of incitement to commit terror acts and civil unrest. History of the Proceedings The unrest were focused in the areas of the Gauteng province and KwaZulu-Natal province and came after the ex-leader's detention for defying a judicial ruling to appear as a witness at an probe into accusations of corruption while he was serving as president. The defendant has always denied the accusations against her, with her legal representative in the past labelling the state's evidence as insufficient. She has also consistently stated the allegations against her were an attempt to address political scores with her father after he founded his own party and competed against the African National Congress. Support and Legal Defense This was echoed by the foundation, which claimed the proceedings was an "power abuse" and a "systematic campaign" of "politically motivated and familial harassment" against the ex-leader and his family. A small number of supporters from her political organization, her party, gathered outside the provincial high court, while her dad and other group representatives participated in the court sessions inside. The defendant's representatives has stated that the evidence presented by prosecutors is unconvincing and lacks concrete grounds for a guilty verdict. Main Aspects of the Trial Digital posts from 2019 form the foundation of the government's argument Violent protests in 2021 resulted in significant casualties and monetary destruction The defendant is charged with multiple allegations of incitement to violence Court trials are expected to continue for several days The court case continues as the prosecution and defense present their evidence before the judicial authority in what is expected to be a closely watched court case with substantial politically charged ramifications for South Africa.