South Africa's Largest Mass Trial Opens; R40-50bn July 2021 Unrest Damage at Center of Ter

R40-billion to R50-billion in economic damage. That figure, representing the estimated cost of eight days of coordinated violence across South Africa in July 2021, sits at the centre of the country’s largest mass prosecution as 62 accused face charges of terrorism, sedition and conspiracy to murder a judge. The trial opens Monday in Durban and is scheduled to run until September 18.

The destruction unfolded after the June 2021 imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court, following his refusal to appear before the State Capture inquiry chaired by Judge Raymond Zondo. Over eight days, businesses were looted and burnt across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The violence claimed 354 lives, 90 of them in Gauteng, with the majority in KwaZulu-Natal.

The prosecution, led by the KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions in coordination with the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks, alleges that three WhatsApp groups served as the operational infrastructure for the campaign. Those groups were named “Free Zuma Coordinators” (later renamed “Free Zuma Information”), “Ethekwini Shutdown” and “INK Shutdown.” Members allegedly used these platforms to organise road blockages, arson, attacks on infrastructure and the judiciary, and broader acts intended to destabilise the country and secure Zuma’s release.

The accused, 65 originally charged with three since deceased, are led by Gods Surprise Ntuli, aged 48. All but one are from KwaZulu-Natal or the East Rand. The indictment covers eight offences: terrorism under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act; conspiracy or incitement to commit terrorism; sedition; public violence; conspiracy to commit the murder of Judge Zondo; conspiracy to commit public violence; incitement to commit public violence under the Riotous Assemblies Act; and incitement to commit public violence through speech or published messages under the Criminal Procedure Act.

The State alleges the accused conspired to murder Zondo after his name and home address were shared within the WhatsApp groups. Zuma received a 15-month sentence in June 2021 but was released after less than two months on medical parole. That parole decision was later overturned in court. President Cyril Ramaphosa then granted Zuma a “special remission” in August 2023, ostensibly to address prison overcrowding, allowing the former president to avoid reincarceration.

By contrast, accountability for the broader unrest has moved slowly. Until now, prosecutions have been limited to minor cases. Mbuso Moloi, dubbed the “Woolies looter,” received a three-year sentence in July 2023. The case is also notably absent one prominent figure: Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a former MK Party spokesperson and one of the most visible social media instigators during the riots.

The State’s case rests on approximately 125 witnesses, including investigators from the Hawks, SAPS officers, digital forensic specialists, and telecommunications experts from MTN, Vodacom, Telkom and Cell C. Some witness identities have been withheld under the Criminal Procedure Act. The prosecution alleges the accused acted in furtherance of a common purpose between July 8 and 15, 2021, alongside others known and unknown to the State.

The eight-week trial, running to September 18, marks South Africa’s first significant judicial accountability effort for the 2021 unrest and its first major criminal case built primarily on digital messaging evidence. Whether the courts can sustain a prosecution of this scale and complexity, across 62 accused and eight charges, will set a precedent for how the country handles large-scale coordinated criminal activity in the digital age.