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Zuma-Sambudla's lawyer says investigator judged her guilty too early

Published

At her Durban High Court trial on Monday, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's defence said investigating officer Bheki Nazo decided she was instigating violence before the investigation properly began. She faces charges of incitement to violence and incitement to terrorism over 28 tweets.

Advocate Dali Mpofu cross-examined Nazo, who heads the KwaZulu-Natal serious and organised crime unit. Nazo agreed that the complaint against Zuma-Sambudla could be treated as politically motivated. The complaint came from Sarah-Jane Trent.

The charges concern 28 tweets that Zuma-Sambudla made within 36 hours in July 2021. Nazo made a statement on 15 July 2021 saying he believed she was conspiring to cause rioting and looting.

The defence says the statement wrongly used the word "belief" instead of "suspicion". Mpofu put it to Nazo that the word was a mistake and that no one corrected it.

Mpofu also asked whether a statement from a concerned South African and one from a possible political rival would be taken as the same thing. Nazo replied: "Correct M’Lord".

Key facts

Who
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla (accused, facing charges of incitement to violence and incitement to terrorism); Dali Mpofu (advocate for Zuma-Sambudla); Bheki Nazo (head of the KwaZulu-Natal serious and organised crime unit and investigating…); Sarah-Jane Trent (complainant)
What
At her Durban High Court trial on incitement charges over tweets made in July 2021, Zuma-Sambudla's lawyer Dali Mpofu cross-examined investigating officer Bheki Nazo, who agreed that the complaint could be treated as politically motivated. The defence says Nazo wrote a statement mistakenly containing the word "belief" instead of "suspicion".
When
26 October 2026
Where
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Status
Reported

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