2021 July unrest: No direct bank or cellphone link to Zuma-Sambudla, court hears

Duduzile Zuma-Sambhudla appears in court as proceedings resume in her July 2021 unrest incitement trial.

The trial of Duduzile Zuma-Sambhudla resumed yesterday as Bheki Nazo, the KwaZulu-Natal unit commander for serious organised crime, took the stand to testify about the investigation into the July 2021 civil unrest in South Africa as the second state witness for the day.

The unrest, which resulted in significant loss of life and property, as well as widespread looting, has since raised questions about the role played by Duduzile Zuma-Sambhudla.

Commander Nazo testified about being assigned to open a case following a complaint from Sarah-Jane Trent, who introduced herself as a fraud examination expert and activist in fighting for justice.

Trent alleged that social media posts from Zuma-Sambhudla incited public violence during the unrest, citing the urgency of the situation as she perceived it through the lens of social media activism.

During the proceedings, Nazo recounted how he not only initiated the inquiry based on Trent’s affidavit but also sought the expertise of various colleagues. Among those consulted was Emma Sadleir, a noted social media expert, who offered insights into legal concerns surrounding the allegations against Zuma-Sambhudla.

Nazo indicated that the investigation included a thorough examination of financial records to determine whether the accused had financed individuals participating in the acts of violence.

He also told the court that he obtained cellphone records and approached Cell C, MTN and Vodacom to verify if there was any communication between the accused and the people that were involved in the 2021 unrests.

However, despite the depth of the inquiry, Nazo stated that both bank and cellphone records yielded no conclusive evidence linking Zuma-Sambhudla directly to the allegations of incitement.

The investigation revealed no communications on Zuma-Sambhudla's phone that would indicate conspiracy or coordination with other involved parties, though it was noted that a particular individual’s phone did show signs of interaction with the accused.

In his summary, Commander Nazo reinforced the seriousness of the 2021 unrest, highlighting the devastating impact on communities—loss of lives, destruction of property, and an economy brought to a standstill.

The nature of the social media posts, which were described as encouraging violence and inciting supporters to "stand up" for former President Jacob Zuma, formed a central piece of the prosecution's argument.

However, defence advocate Dali Mpofu raised significant concerns regarding the prosecution's approach, arguing that there might be political motives behind the charges.

Mpofu cited the state’s actions—particularly their hesitation to call the investigating officer to testify—as 'very rare' or strange, suggesting that the inconsistencies could jeopardise the integrity of the case.

He also claimed that Trent's involvement was not neutral, alleging that she had ties to political rivals of Jacob Zuma.

Mpofu says in the last incident, the state indicated that they are considering closing the case without having called the investigating officer to testify.

Major General Govendor from headquarters was called to testify in court before the investigating officer in KZN who was put in charge of the case.

Mpofu says four witnesses were called prior and they had challenges understanding the case because of the language aspect involved.

He mentioned all these reasons to prove that it makes it very rare that the investigating officer, Nazo who understood the case and the African language was not called.