Deputy President Jacob Zuma has issued a terse denial in response to the Democratic Alliance's challenge that it intended to grill him on alleged arms deal corruption.

The DA said at the weekend that it would pose a series of tough parliamentary questions to Zuma after fresh allegations were made about his role in the multibillion-rand arms deal.

It was reported that a Scorpions team probing allegations that Zuma attempted to solicit a bribe from a defence contractor had obtained the deputy president's personal banking records after a subpoena.

It has been alleged that Zuma held meetings with Alain Thetard, the former head of the Southern African division of Thomson CSF (now Thales), during which he reportedly solicited payments in return for the protection of Thales during the course of the arms deal probe.

The deputy president has denied an allegation that he requested payment of R500 000 a year from Thales.

Zuma's office said in a statement on Monday: "We wish to reiterate that deputy president Jacob Zuma rejects outright the allegations that he attempted to secure a bribe from an arms procurement contractor."

Zuma had not been charged with any criminal offence, and the continuing allegations and rumours linking him to corruption and bribery were "ridiculous, malicious, insulting and defamatory," the statement said.

The deputy president remained ready to defend himself and would "co-operate with any law enforcement agency that could be investigating this case," it said.

The DA's Raenette Taljaard said it was regrettable that the Scorpions had to resort to a subpoena to obtain the deputy president's banking records.

"The deputy president should have demonstrated his good faith by opening his accounts for a voluntary forensic audit and making the findings of that audit public," she said.

With acknowledgements to The Mercury and Independent Online.