The NPA in KwaZulu-Natal says the court’s ruling in the case involving former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, means the charges against her remain in place and will now be tested during legal arguments scheduled for May next year.
The Durban High Court dismissed Zuma-Sambudla’s application to have charges related to the July 2021 unrest withdrawn.
The defence brought the application in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, arguing that the State had failed to establish a prima facie case against her.
KZN NPA Spokesperson, Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara, explaining the court’s decision, says, “In court today, the presiding officer ruled and refused the application, should I say and ruled in the State’s favour. So, the matter will continue. Following that ruling or that order, the matter was then remanded to May next year for the arguments. If you look at the application for 174, that was for the court to rule that the State had not brought a prima facie case against the accused. The ruling in the State’s favour obviously means that the charges against the accused are valid.”