Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of inciting violence during riots in 2021 in which more than 300 people were killed.
The unrest broke out in July 2021 after Jacob Zuma was arrested for disobeying a court order to testify at a corruption inquiry, and it morphed into widespread looting. The financial damage from the riots was estimated at 50 billion rand ($2.9 billion at today's exchange rate).
Zuma-Sambudla appeared at the high court in Durban for the first day of her trial over the unrest. Prosecutors allege she incited others to commit acts of violence through posts on social media.
Jacob Zuma, who was president from 2009 to 2018 and who still has a loyal following in South Africa, was in court to support his daughter and sat alongside members of his political party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK).
MK was a major disruptor in last year's national election, contributing to a sharp drop in support for the African National Congress, which Zuma used to lead.
