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The offspring of previous South African Head of State Zuma has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges at the commencement of her trial in the harbor city of Durban.

Zuma-Sambudla, 43 years old, is being charged over remarks she published on social media in the past during deadly unrest in South Africa that came after the detention of her dad.

A period of anarchy in various areas of the country in July 2021, including theft and fire-setting, left at least 300 individuals killed and led to damage worth an projected $2.8 billion (£2.2bn).

Zuma-Sambudla has been accused of fuelling this turmoil and confronts charges of incitement to commit terror acts and civil unrest.

History of the Legal Matter

The unrest were concentrated in the provinces of Gauteng region and KZN and followed the previous president's apprehension for disobeying a legal directive to appear as a witness at an investigation into claims of corruption while he was holding office.

Ms Zuma-Sambudla has repeatedly denied the charges against her, with her legal representative earlier calling the state's case as insufficient.

She has also frequently stated the accusations against her were an attempt to resolve political scores with her dad after he started his own party and competed against the ANC.

Backing and Legal Defense

This was echoed by the Zuma foundation, which claimed the case was an "abuse of power" and a "coordinated attempt" of "political and kinship targeting" against the former president and his kin.

A handful of followers from her group, her party, appeared outside the provincial high court, while her father and other organization officials were present at the court sessions inside.

The defense has maintained that the testimony presented by the state is inadequate and lacks compelling proof for a criminal finding.

Main Aspects of the Trial

• Online posts from the past form the foundation of the state's argument
• Violent unrest in recent years resulted in major casualties and financial losses
• The individual on trial is charged with multiple allegations of incitement to public disorder
• Judicial trials are anticipated to continue for multiple days

The trial continues as all parties present their arguments before the court in what is expected to be a closely watched judicial process with significant political implications for South Africa.