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The daughter of ex- South African Leader Jacob G Zuma has denied all charges to terror-linked accusations at the commencement of her trial in the coastal city of the city of Durban.

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, forty-three, is being tried over comments she published on online platforms several years back during deadly unrest in South Africa that came after the arrest of her dad.

A week of chaos in various areas of the country in July 2021, including looting and intentional burning, resulted in at least 300 individuals deceased and resulted in damage worth an approximate 2.8 billion dollars (2.2 billion pounds).

She has been charged of inciting this violence and is charged with charges of provocation to commit terror acts and public violence.

Context of the Proceedings

The protests were concentrated in the regions of the Gauteng province and KZN and came after the previous president's arrest for defying a court order to appear as a witness at an investigation into claims of corruption while he was in power.

The defendant has consistently refuted the charges against her, with her legal representative in the past labelling the state's case as insufficient.

She has also repeatedly said the allegations against her were an bid to address political grievances with her father after he established his own political organization and competed against the African National Congress.

Support and Court Representation

This was echoed by the Zuma foundation, which stated the case was an "power abuse" and a "systematic campaign" of "political and familial persecution" against the former president and his relatives.

A handful of supporters from her political organization, uMkhonto weSizwe, turned up outside the KwaZulu-Natal high court, while her father and other party leaders attended the proceedings inside.

Her legal team has argued that the proof presented by prosecutors is inadequate and lacks compelling evidence for a conviction.

Key Points of the Legal Proceedings

• Online posts from four years ago form the core of the government's evidence
• Deadly protests in recent years resulted in significant casualties and economic damage
• The individual on trial is charged with multiple counts of incitement to public disorder
• Court hearings are expected to proceed for multiple days

The legal proceedings continues as all parties present their arguments before the court in what is projected to be a highly monitored court case with substantial political consequences for South Africa.