Alleged instigator of looting of Brookside Mall in July 2021 denies any wrongdoing
One of the alleged instigators of the 2021 unrest has told the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court that the video that allegedly led to the looting of the Brookside Mall in the city, was made while he was under the influence of alcohol. Mdumiseni Zuma apologised in his testimony but still maintains that he is innocent of incitement to commit public violence and incitement to commit arson.
The mall was looted and then burnt a day after Zuma’s video was posted on WhatsApp.
The state argues that Zuma played a critical role in the mall being set alight.
Zuma, who hails from Nkandla and worked as a security guard at the Brookside Mall, has testified that he was embarrassed when he saw the video he made as it was played in court. According to Zuma, he only wanted to show his contacts on WhatsApp that he was also aware of what was happening in the country, referring to the 2021 unrest.
He added that he only posted the video on his WhatsApp status and doesn’t know how it was spread further.
State prosecutor Advocate Yuri Gangai labelled the video as incriminating. After Zuma offered an apology during his testimony, Gangai asked him what exactly he was apologising for. In reply, Zuma said that he is apologising for recording the video. He maintains that he had no idea how other people interpreted his video.
Under cross examination, Zuma maintained that he never instructed anyone in his video to burn the mall down, nor is he aware of anyone who saw the video and then decided to set the mall alight.
During cross examination, Gangai rejected Zuma’s testimony that he was under the influence of alcohol when he made the video. He pointed out that Zuma made no mention of this when he made a sworn statement to the police. Gangai also got Zuma to admit that he is from Nkandla, where former president Jacob Zuma lives.
The 2021 unrest broke out shortly after the former president was imprisoned at Estcourt in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to serve a 15 month sentence for contempt of the Constitutional Court following an order that he must testify in front of the Zondo Commission into State Capture. The court is expected to hear closing arguments on Wednesday.
Source: SABC
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