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The child of previous South African Head of State Jacob G Zuma has entered a not guilty plea to terror-linked accusations at the start of her court case in the harbor city of the city of Durban.

Zuma-Sambudla, 43 years old, is being prosecuted over comments she made on online platforms in the past during violent unrest in South Africa that followed the arrest of her father.

A period of anarchy in multiple regions of the country in the summer of 2021, including theft and fire-setting, resulted in at least 300 individuals killed and caused damage worth an projected $2.8 billion (£2.2 billion).

Zuma-Sambudla has been charged of inciting this unrest and is charged with charges of incitement to commit terror-related activities and public violence.

Background of the Legal Matter

The unrest were focused in the regions of Gauteng region and KwaZulu-Natal province and followed the former president's detention for disobeying a legal directive to give evidence at an inquiry into accusations of corruption while he was serving as president.

Ms Zuma-Sambudla has always refuted the allegations against her, with her lawyer previously describing the prosecution's case as weak.

She has also frequently stated the allegations against her were an attempt to address political scores with her parent after he founded his own political organization and competed against the African National Congress.

Endorsement and Legal Defense

This was supported by the Zuma foundation, which stated the legal matter was an "power abuse" and a "coordinated attempt" of "political and kinship targeting" against the previous head of state and his family.

A small number of followers from her party, her party, turned up outside the judicial building, while her parent and other group representatives attended the court sessions inside.

The defendant's representatives has stated that the testimony presented by government lawyers is unconvincing and does not have substantial evidence for a criminal finding.

Key Points of the Trial

• Online comments from four years ago form the foundation of the state's evidence
• Fatal protests in July 2021 resulted in significant fatalities and financial losses
• The accused faces multiple allegations of encouragement to public disorder
• Legal hearings are projected to carry on for several days

The court case continues as the prosecution and defense present their evidence before the court in what is expected to be a highly monitored judicial process with significant politically charged ramifications for South Africa.