The Durban High Court has dismissed Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s application to have the criminal charges against her withdrawn, ruling on 6 November 2026 against an early exit from the docket. The decision keeps the case squarely within the criminal justice system, where the National Prosecuting Authority will continue to pursue allegations tied to one of the most violent episodes in recent South African history.
Zuma-Sambudla, an MK Party figure and daughter of party president Jacob Zuma, stands accused of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence. The charges relate to her social media posts during the July 2021 unrest, a period of widespread violence and disruption. The prosecution’s case rests on the argument that her online activity played a role in fuelling that violence.
In bringing the application, Zuma-Sambudla argued that the State’s evidence was weak and insufficient to sustain the charges. The court was not persuaded. The dismissal means the matter remains live, and the accused must now answer the allegations through the ordinary processes of trial rather than securing an early exit.
For now, the proceedings are paused. The matter has been stood down while counsel deliberates on further court dates, leaving the scheduling of the next phase in the hands of the legal teams and the court. When the case will proceed remains open, and any future timetable will depend on the outcome of those deliberations.
The case sits at the intersection of judicial oversight and political power. Jacob Zuma was present at the Durban High Court to support his daughter, a visible reminder of the political weight attached to the proceedings. His attendance underscored that the matter is being watched not only as a criminal case but as one with consequences for a party now asserting itself as a major force in provincial politics.
Meanwhile, that political dimension was on full display elsewhere on the same day. Zuma declared that the MK Party has taken KwaZulu-Natal, even though official results have yet to be declared. The party is leading in the province, having secured more than 1.4 million votes so far. Speaking on the results, Zuma was unequivocal: “We have won KZN; it’s as simple as that. We told you we will take that place [the province], and we have taken it. And then? You should be saying thank you for what we did because you told us that.”
The juxtaposition is striking. On one side of the day, a court weighing whether a prosecution tied to the 2021 unrest should proceed; on the other, the accused’s father claiming an electoral mandate in the very province where that unrest began. The ruling ensures that the accountability question will be tested in full, through evidence and argument, rather than being cut short at the threshold.
The High Court’s refusal to withdraw the charges also signals that the threshold for halting a prosecution has not been met on the basis of the arguments presented. The State’s case, whatever its eventual strength at trial, will now be examined in open court, where the defence can contest the evidence and the prosecution must prove its allegations to the criminal standard.
Further coverage of the proceedings, including the court’s reasoning and the parties’ arguments, is available at https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/11/06/high-court-dismisses-zuma-sambudlas-bid-to-have-criminal-charges-withdrawn.
With the matter stood down and results still pending in KwaZulu-Natal, both the legal and political timelines remain unresolved. What is settled, for now, is the court’s answer to the defence’s central challenge: the prosecution continues, and the charges stand.