Whereas she has not commented straight on the charges, Zuma-Sambudla shared a cryptic notice on X that merely mentioned: “We see you.”
This isn’t the primary time her identify has been introduced up in connection to the 2021 riots, that are thought of one of many bloodiest episodes in post-apartheid South Africa.
Zuma resigned as president in 2018 after 9 years in workplace, stricken by corruption allegations, which he claimed had been a part of a political conspiracy.
Three years later, he was sentenced to 15 months in jail for contempt of courtroom after refusing to testify earlier than a panel investigating corruption below his presidency.
Protests erupted after he surrendered to serve his sentence.
In the course of the unrest, Zuma-Sambudla was outspoken on X, incessantly sharing photos of the destruction and chaos, accompanied by the caption: “KZN, we see you.”
She used this phrase typically all through the violence. In a now deleted put up, she shared a video of somebody firing an computerized rifle at a poster of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In 2022, a spokesperson from the elite police unit, Hawks, Brig Thandi Mbambo informed native media they weren’t straight investigating her, however she had been named in statements from sources.
In response to this, Zuma-Sambudla said on X, external, “I’ve no concern! I cannot be intimidated! I’ve crushed the canines, now the masters are popping out! We see you!”
On the similar time, the Jacob Zuma Foundation, external, mentioned in a press release the previous president’s youngsters had been being focused.
Final yr, the South African Human Rights Fee (SAHRC) launched a report that mentioned the riots had been a “rigorously orchestrated occasion”.
But it surely mentioned it may discover no direct hyperlink to Zuma’s arrest.
In 2023, a former safety guard was sentenced to 12 years in jail for his function within the lethal riots.
He was the primary particular person to be prosecuted for the riots.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who succeeded Jacob Zuma in 2018, described the violence as an “tried rebellion”.
Greater than 200 purchasing malls had been looted and greater than 150,000 jobs had been estimated to have been misplaced throughout the unrest, which lasted for a number of days.
Final yr, Zuma’s MK ran towards his former get together, the ANC, in elections, gaining 15% of the vote to turn into the nation’s third largest get together.