A suspected July 2021 unrest instigator believes she’s being targeted for being Zuma fan
Bogadi Maphisa, along with four co-accused, appeared at the Roodepoort Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Five accused July unrest instigators appeared before the Roodepoort Magistrates Court on 2 July 2025. Picture: Thabiso Goba/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - One of the suspected instigators of the July 2021 unrest believes she is being targeted for being a fan of former president Jacob Zuma.
Bogadi Maphisa, along with four co-accused, appeared at the Roodepoort Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The group stands accused of conspiracy to incite public violence.
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It’s alleged they were part of a WhatsApp group that disseminated inflammatory messages that contributed to the violence that resulted in the deaths of 350 people and billions in infrastructure damage.
Maphisa showed up to court on Wednesday in full uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party regalia – an organisation led and founded by Zuma.
It was Zuma’s incarceration in 2021 that led to the deadly unrest in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Maphisa said that while she was angry at Zuma’s imprisonment, she didn’t participate in any criminal activity.
“Maybe my sin is that I am a fan of my president, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, and I will let him go at any given moment. I know that I do not have a case. I am not guilty of anything, so they can go as far as they want to go. My conscience is clear - I didn’t incite anybody to go and do anything.”
The matter returns to court on 29 July for full disclosure of the charge sheet.