President Thabo Mbeki will today throw his weight behind his deputy Jacob Zuma by telling the DA that he has no intention of appointing a judicial commission of inquiry to probe allegations of briery against the deputy president.

Zuma is alleged to have solicited a R500 000 bribe from a French defence contractor in return for his protection during a probe into this company's share of south Africa's multi-billion rand arms procurement deal.

Zuma has repeatedly denied these allegations. He has also denied any knowledge that he was being investigated by the Scorpions with regards the allegations of bribery.

In a written reply to the DA, Mbeki says Zuma, who is currently acting president, will continue to lead the moral regeneration campaign. "The deputy President will continue to lead this campaign," says Mbeki.

Mbeki was replying to questions by the Democratic Alliance MP Raenette Taljaard.

Taljaard's inquiry follows a similar question asked by the DA last year. At the time a presidential adviser replied saying commissions of inquiry were not appointed on the basis of mere allegations. In her latest question, she asked if this reflected presidential policy.

In his written reply Mbeki said: "Commissions of enquiries cost money. They must therefore be appointed on the basis of clear evidence presented to the President backed by some material facts."

The President also dismissed suggestions that there was any inconsistency in his decision to appoint commission of inquiry into the rand's sharp decline and his views on the need for a similar inquiry into allegations against Zuma.

Mbeki argued that his decision to appoint the Myburg Commission into the rand's depreciation against the US dollar was based on evidence. This evidence had come in the form of a letter to Mbeki written by the then South African Chamber of Business CEO Kevin Wakeford. Meanwhile Sapa reports Taljaard as saying that the president continued to deal with a deputy that was allowed to lead the country's moral regeneration campaign.

"If that is the type of moral leadership, we will not be surprised if the number of Yengenis multiply, because they're getting their answer from the president."

Zuma's spokesperson Lakela Kaunda was unavailable for comment.

With acknowledgements to Ido Lekota and the Sowatan.