Duduzane Zuma, businessman, politician, and twin brother of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, has publicly urged his sister to confront the charges against her directly, just as he did when he faced legal challenges in the past.
Zuma-Sambudla appeared at the Durban Magistrates Court on Thursday, where she was charged with incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence. These charges are related to the July 2021 riots that led to widespread destruction and unrest in South Africa.
Delayed Justice: Duduzane Questions Timing of Charges
Duduzane Zuma has criticized the timing of the charges brought against his sister, arguing that justice delayed is justice denied. He pointed out that the charges stem from posts she made on X (formerly Twitter) four years ago, questioning why it took so long for legal action to be taken.
“If we are to deal with these issues, let’s deal with them as soon as possible. The one thing we suffer from in this country is prolonging issues,” he said.
Zuma further compared this delay to the slow processes in the South African government, particularly in passing laws and making crucial decisions. He emphasized that the justice system must work efficiently to ensure timely resolutions.
A Call for a Strong Defense Strategy
Duduzane Zuma shared his own experiences with the legal system, stating that he had always faced his charges head-on and urged his sister to do the same.
“I fought my cases. I’ve been direct, I’ve been head-on with them. I haven’t beaten around the bush, I attacked them head-on and in doing so, they realized not to play those games with me anymore. So, I hope that that’s the direction that has been taken by my sister and her team,” he said.
He advised Zuma-Sambudla to stand firm and tackle the case with determination, believing that a strong legal approach can expose any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.
Criticism of the National Prosecuting Authority
Duduzane Zuma also criticized the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), accusing it of engaging in politically motivated prosecutions. He claimed that such actions harm the credibility of the justice system.
“The NPA needs to stop playing political games because every time they do so, they lose credibility,” he said.
Referring to his own experiences, he stated that he had been unfairly subjected to multiple legal battles but ultimately prevailed.
“I was completely innocent of all the accusations against me. And it’s not that I’m professing innocence, they (NPA) have taken me through the system on multiple cases, unfairly in most cases. But it is what it is. Politics is a contact sport. The right to be economically just in this country is one of the biggest rights, and mine was infringed,” he said.
Despite these challenges, he expressed his determination to keep fighting, saying, “But you know, we are survivors, we are fighters, and we’ll fight through.”
Legal Process Moving Forward
Following her court appearance, Magistrate Irfaan Khallil released Zuma-Sambudla on a warning. Her case will be transferred to the Durban High Court, where she is scheduled to appear on 20 March 2025.
Duduzane Zuma acknowledged the realities of the political and legal landscape, stating that those involved must recognize the game being played and respond accordingly.
“We understand that there is a game being played, and one just needs to be grown up and deal with it,” he said.
As the case progresses, it remains to be seen how Zuma-Sambudla and her legal team will approach the charges. However, with her brother’s public support, it is clear that the Zuma family intends to fight back against what they perceive as politically motivated prosecutions.
