Sixty-two accused face terrorism and sedition charges in South Africa's 2021 unrest trial
via The Namibian5 min read
Sixty-two individuals are set to appear in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court to face charges including terrorism, sedition, and insurrection related to the July 2021 unrest in South Africa. Prosecutors allege that three WhatsApp groups were used to coordinate the violence, which resulted in 354 deaths and an estimated R40-billion to R50-billion in economic damage. The unrest reportedly aimed to force the release of former President Jacob Zuma from prison. The accused, mostly from KwaZulu-Natal and the East Rand, also face a charge of conspiracy to murder Judge Raymond Zondo, whose name and address were shared on WhatsApp groups after Zuma's sentencing for contempt of court. This trial marks a significant judicial effort to address what President Cyril Ramaphosa described as an "attempted insurrection." The State plans to use WhatsApp group communications as key evidence and will call approximately 125 witnesses, including telecommunications experts. The case is scheduled for argument from July 20 to September 18.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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