A letter wherein it is alluded that Vice President Jacob Zuma wanted R500 000 bribery money per annum in the controversial arms deal is included in court documents where a role player in this transaction tried to stop the Scorpions from questioning him about this.

The Scorpions is investigating allegations that Zuma tried to get the money from a French arms manufacturer. The Scorpions included the handwritten letter in court papers.

This investigation is related to information about which Rapport reported more than a year ago after information about the connection between Zuma and Mr Schabir Shaik, brother of Mr Chippy Shaik, Head of Acquisitions in the arms deal, was given to Rapport.

It was related to Schabir Shaik's management of Zuma's personal finances.

In Durban, Schabir Shaik is being accused of the illegal possession of cabinet minutes. His hearing has not yet started. The Scorpions now want to question him about Zuma and the alleged bribery money, but Shaik requested the Durban High court to prevent this questioning.

Shaik is a Durban business man, involved in various government contracts which amount to hundreds of millions of rands.

He is amongst others a director of Thomson-CSF (now Thales) and African Defence Systems (ADS). Thomson-CSF was apparently the company who would pay the bribe money.

ADS is a central role player in the coordination of the arms deal.

Thomson-CSF is a French company who was selected to provide equipment for the Navy's corvettes.

Rapport had amongst others reported on a "damage control meeting" in November 2000 in Mauritius held by senior managers of Thomson-CSF and Shaik after news reports were published regarding allegations of a scandal in connection with the arms deal.

At the meeting Shaik raised his concern about the involvement of judge Willem Heath's investigating unit with the arms deal investigation.

He was worried that a certain ANC member would "open his mouth" and that all of them would then be in trouble.

Shaik manages amongst others, an Absa bank account which he opened for Zuma.

Shaik is also paying the student fees of Zuma's children.

When Rapport questioned Zuma about this, he replied that because Shaik was his financial adviser, the student fees were paid via Shaik's company.

On the question at that time whether he knew about Shaikh's business interests, Zuma replied that Schaik "mentioned this in passing", but that he (Zuma) was not interested in the details.

Most of Shaik's companies were registered and were active while Zuma was MEC. He became deputy president of the ANC in December 1997 and was ANC leader in kwaZulu-Natal until July 1998.

In June 1999 he was appointed as deputy president. The final decision regarding the arms deal was taken in September 1999 by cabinet.

According to Zuma, Shaik only discussed the arms deal with him after it became controversial, but evidence in the Scorpions' possession apparently disputes it.

Shaik never asked him to influence the process. During the acquisition process he was an MEC, Zuma said at that time.

Zuma's spokesperson denied the allegations of bribery money.

Shaik alleged since the beginning of the controversy that political enemies of Zuma wanted to use him to unseat Zuma.

The latest reports appear just over two weeks before the ANC's national conference, where leadership elections will be held..

Mr Sipho Ngwema, spokesperson for the Director of Public Prosecution, did not want to comment on who was being investigated because the Scorpions' investigation into the arms deal has not been finalised yet.

He said that it will be completed shortly and thereafter it will be decided whether anyone will be prosecuted.

With acknowledgement to Andries Cornelissen and Rapport.