Deputy President Jacob Zuma has dismissed opposition charges that the cabinet meddled with the report to parliament on the probe into the multibillion-rand arms deal.

Answering questions in parliament on Thursday, Zuma said he was not aware of the cabinet giving instructions that the report be changed.

He was responding to a question by Democratic Alliance MP Raenette Taljaard, who charged that the cabinet had tampered with the report in a bid to protect officials who had misled parliament in the early stages of the scandal.

Addressing Zuma, Taljaard said: "Revelations today have shown that the cabinet, of which you are a member, played a role in an extensive editing of the draft report.

"Some alterations served to protect officials of the department of defence who misled the standing committee on public accounts in October 2000 in respect of Thales' involvement with African Defence Systems and conflicts of interest in respect of the Shaik brothers."

Business Day reported that the draft report to parliament was heavily edited before being publicised.

An angry Zuma replied: "I don't deal with rumours. There is a process that, in any sensible country, is followed - investigations are done, charges are preferred, people are taken to court and people answer."

With acknowledgements to Jeremy Michaels and The Star.