The Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla trial resumes today in the KwaZulu Natal High Court in Durban, where the State is continuing its effort to demonstrate that her social media activity contributed to the mobilisation of crowds during the July 2021 unrest.
The court heard on Monday that several posts linked to Zuma Sambudla were deleted before investigators could fully analyse them.
Cybercrime expert Brigadier Janine Steynberg testified that her team identified missing posts while conducting an assessment of 12 social media accounts on 23 July 2021, days after widespread violence broke out in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng.
Steynberg said Zuma Sambudla used her online platforms to call for support following former president Jacob Zuma’s arrest.
She told the court that some of the posts shared photos, videos and remarks related to her father’s incarceration. However, by the time investigators revisited the accounts, a number of these posts had already been removed.
She explained that she took screenshots immediately due to the risk of content disappearing.
Steynberg also confirmed that her investigation extended to Facebook and Instagram. Zuma Sambudla’s Facebook account was set to private, limiting access to posts.
The brigadier said she analysed likes, retweets and engagement related to the tweets that remained available, noting that the information helped establish the potential reach of the posts during the unrest .
Zuma Sambudla pleaded not guilty to charges of incitement linked to the unrest, which resulted in more than three hundred and fifty deaths and widespread damage to infrastructure.
The State alleges her posts played a role in amplifying calls for mobilisation after her father’s imprisonment for contempt of court.
Proceedings will continue today as the State deepens its focus on her digital footprint and the alleged impact of her posts.
Watch the live stream of the Duduzile Zuma Sambudla trial below.
