JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, appeared in court on Monday for her trial on charges of incitement to cause terrorism related to riots that left over 350 people dead in July 2021.
The riots were the deadliest since the end of South Africa’s racist system of apartheid, or white-minority rule, in 1994.
The rioting began after Jacob Zuma was sent to prison for defying a court order to testify at an inquiry investigating widespread government corruption during his time as president from 2009 to 2018.
Zuma-Sambudla is the highest-profile of over 60 people to be charged over the riots. She is accused of inciting public violence via social media posts she made before and during the riots. She pleaded not guilty at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in the eastern city of Durban.
She is now a member of parliament for the MK Party, which was started by her father in 2023 and won 15% of the national vote during last year's general elections. That weakened the power of the African National Congress, which had ruled alone since the end of apartheid before losing its majority in the 2024 election.
Here's what to know:
The July 2021 riots broke out in KwaZulu-Natal province, Jacob Zuma's stronghold, and quickly spread to Gauteng, the province that includes South Africa's commercial capital, Johannesburg.
Mobs looted shops and businesses, destroyed property and caused up to $2 billion in damage, according to authorities. More than 5,000 people were arrested.
Authorities at the time said the violence was an attempted insurrection by Zuma's supporters as police struggled to control the angry crowds.
The riots led to criticism of South Africa's law enforcement agencies as they were accused of being caught unprepared and struggled for days to contain the looting.
Zuma-Sambudla posted on social media platform Twitter, now known as X, the phrase “We see you” multiple times alongside videos of unrest or the name of a town or an area where there was rioting. Prosecutors allege that the phrase and other posts were acknowledging, encouraging and approving of the rioters' actions.
As her trial began on Monday, investigators told the court that she used her social media profile with over 125,000 followers to incite the rioters.
A government-backed probe earlier found that Zuma's arrest was the catalyst for the riots, but that frustrations over poverty during COVID-19 lockdowns were partly to blame for the looting and destruction of property.
Jacob Zuma served only two months of an 18-month prison term, mostly in the prison's hospital wing, before he was released as part of a decision affecting certain nonviolent offenders approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, left, shares a light moment outside High Court during her trial for terrorism linked to the July 2021 riots in Durban, South Africa, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, left, arrives at High Court for her terrorism trial linked to the July 2021 riots, in Durban, South Africa, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Mike Vrabel knows as well as anyone how difficult it is to stop Derrick Henry.
“He’s a very unique player. Great speed, great power, strength,” Vrabel said. “He’s just a different body type than what anybody would go against, and so it’s unique in that regard. ... We know what he’s about. Build speed and stiff arm and all that other stuff.”
Vrabel was Henry's coach with the Tennessee Titans from 2018 through 2023, and now he'll face his former running back Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens host the New England Patriots. Henry is in his second season in the Ravens' backfield, and Vrabel is in his first at the helm of the Patriots.
“He’s a great coach. He does a great job, and they’ve been doing a great job this year,” Henry said. “That’s why they’re in the conversation and the running for the top seed in the AFC.”
Baltimore (7-7) trails Pittsburgh by one game atop the AFC North. The Patriots (11-3) lead the AFC East even after last week's loss to Buffalo, and New England can clinch a postseason berth with a win this week or a loss by either Houston or Indianapolis.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will have a prime-time showcase to boost his MVP case. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, who has won that award twice, has struggled after returning from a hamstring injury but looked better the past couple of games.
The Ravens were a three-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook as of Thursday night — despite New England's vastly superior record. The Patriots split with Buffalo, but that's their only victory against a team that currently has a winning record.
Of course, the Ravens don't currently have a winning record themselves.
The Ravens are home this weekend, but Baltimore is only 3-5 at home this season. A loss to New England would make this the worst home regular season in franchise history. The Ravens finished 3-5 at home in 2015.
Baltimore is 22-5 in home prime-time games under coach John Harbaugh, but 0-2 this season.
New England, meanwhile, is 6-0 as a visitor this season, the only team in the league without a road loss.
For teams that aren't in the same division, the Patriots and Ravens have played their share of memorable games. In 2007, Baltimore came close to ending New England's unbeaten regular season, falling 27-24 at home when Tom Brady threw a last-minute touchdown pass.
Beginning with the 2009 season, the Patriots and Ravens had four playoff meetings in a six-year span, with each team winning two. New England won 23-20 in the AFC title game in January 2012 when Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal that would have tied the game. A year later, Baltimore went on the road and beat the Patriots 28-13 for the AFC championship en route to winning the Super Bowl.
The teams haven't played as much lately. Baltimore won the last meeting 37-26 in 2022.
One of the things that’s made Maye so dangerous this season is his ability to throw deep passes.
According to Sportradar, entering this week Maye ranked second in the NFL behind Matthew Stafford (32) and was tied with Sam Darnold, Dak Prescott and Jordan Love with 26 completions that traveled 20 or more yards in the air.
Maye said he's had to weigh the potential of deep passes against shorter, safer throws since college.
“I’m just trying to take the plays that the defense gives me and realize that moving the chains and being second-and-4 versus second-and-10 is better — so just challenging that,” he said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to keep the defense on its toes for not squatting on routes and let them know that we can hit one over their head.”
Jackson hasn't missed a game since Week 8 but hasn't had a full week of practice since early November. This week he missed Wednesday's practice because of an illness but proclaimed himself good to go Thursday.
“We just have to win this game and win out, basically,” Jackson said. “I’m not going to say it’s a playoff game, because I feel like every game is a playoff game. We’re trying to win.”
AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed to this report.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel reacts after a touchdown scored by quarterback Drake Maye during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
