KwaZulu-Natal prosecuting authorities are still investigating whether or not they should prosecute former president Jacob Zuma's daughter, Duduzile, for instigating violence during the unrest that occurred in parts of South Africa in July 2021.

"That matter is still under investigation. These matters are not easy to deal with and are not dealt with overnight," KZN director of public prosecutions, Elaine Zungu, said on Friday at a rare press briefing.

She outlined the progress made in cases and the general state of prosecutions in the province.

When she was asked about Duduzile Zuma's case, she responded that it was a complex matter.

Zuma's daughter came under fire after she posted a now deleted video of someone firing a rifle at a poster of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zungu pointed out that there must be "sufficient evidence linking the accused to the offence".

"We also look at our prospects of success. Investigations are continuing and the matter continues to be looked into by prosecutors."

She compared the case to the arrest of the so-called instigators.

"Even in the WhatsApp matters (a reference to the so-called instigators), it took time. We do not enrol cases overnight."

It took authorities more than a year to arrest the most low-level suspects, many of whom are accused of sending out text messages and forming groups on WhatsApp to coordinate violence and looting.

Thus far, Zungu said, 61 people have been arrested in relation to unrest-related activity on WhatsApp groups. Two other cases, including those of alleged instigators Bonginkosi Khanyile and Mdumiseni Zuma, are on the court roll.

The 61 accused belonged to just three WhatsApp groups that were active during the unrest period, Zungu said.

Political killings

Zungu also shed light on cases involving political killings, saying that organised crime prosecution officials work on matters involving the death of a councillor, mayor, any person "belonging to a political party who has been killed", or cases where "there was an attempt to kill such a person".

Authorities are dealing with 145 political cases and 57 of those are in court.

Of the fifty-seven, 31 are decision dockets, meaning that some are under investigation and others are pending prosecutorial decisions.

Fifty-eight of the matters have been closed for "various reasons".