The GOOD Party points out that while former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s case has been “excruciatingly slow”, the party is cautiously optimistic that this is the first of many such cases.

Zuma-Sambudla appeared in court on Thursday after being charged with inciting violence during riots in 2021 in which more than 300 people were killed.

She faces charges of incitement to commit terrorism, and two counts of incitement to commit public violence and will appear before the Durban High Court on March 20.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said the appearance of Zuma-Sambudla in court was the first sign of the alleged masterminds of the unrest being brought to book.

He highlighted that in the aftermath of the riots, he handed over evidence to the Hawks implicating over 100 alleged instigators of the violence.

“Whistleblowers in the African National Congress (ANC) provided me with evidence relating to three predominantly KZN-focused WhatsApp groups named ‘Ethekwini Shutdown’, ‘Ink Shutdown 10/07/2021’, and ‘Free Zuma Information’ and later further information relating to a Gauteng WhatsApp group named ‘Joburg Activists Home’,” Herron said.

He noted that it was clear from the posts and comments in these WhatsApp groups that the riots were instigated in retaliation for the incarceration of Zuma.

“There were also indications of “hidden hands” – those not on the groups who had been the masterminds behind the violence,” he pointed out.

He said his party was hopeful that the length of time that had passed and the severity of the charges brought by the State against Zuma-Sambudla were owing to the strength of the case against her.

The party rejected the narrative that Zuma-Sambudla was being charged to “settle a political score”.

“Justice must be done and must be seen to be done. The July 2021 unrest must be a reminder to us all how easily the inequality of South Africa can act as a tinder box to instigate lawlessness. No one should be allowed to exploit that vulnerability for their own political gain,” he said.