Lawyers for Deputy President Jacob Zuma are finalising answers to the Scorpions' questions on his financial affairs and expect to hand them over this week, says his spokeswoman, Lakela Kaunda.

There was concern that there might be further delays after it was announced that Zuma would be travelling to Tanzania this week for talks between the transitional government of Burundi and the rebels.

He is expected to return on Wednesday, but Kaunda said the reply could be handed over to the Scorpions whether or not he is in the country.

Zuma is alleged to have tried to solicit a R500,000 bribe from French arms company Thomson-CSF, which, in partnership with Nkobi Holdings, owned by Schabir Shaik, won the contract for the computerised combat suite for SA's new warships.

Shaik is alleged to have attended meetings with Zuma and foreign arms company representatives in Durban, Paris and London where deals were discussed.

The questions put to Zuma by the unit cover his financial situation and his involvement with Shaik his financial adviser and friend.

Zuma has alleged that the Scorpions leaked the questions to a Sunday paper to discredit him, allegations public prosecutions director Bulelani Ngcuka and Justice Minister Penuell Maduna have denied.

Zuma's claim that no deadline had been set by the Scorpions for his reply sparked outrage from opposition parties, who called on him to answer the questions "in his own interest, and that of the country".

Attacks on Ngcuka about leaks regarding the investigation of Zuma and former transport minister Mac Maharaj this week, as well as heightened tension between the unit and the police, have again sparked rumours that Ngcuka intends to resign.

Ngcuka, who has a 10-year contract as head of the directorate of public prosecutions, was recently quoted as saying that he had always believed that 10 years was far too long for one person to head the unit.

His spokesman, Sipho Ngwema, said his boss had no intention of resigning. It is not the first time such rumours have surfaced. In July, Ngcuka dismissed as "malicious" rumours that he intended to quit and take up a directorship at De Beers. But this was before President Thabo Mbeki indicated that the Scorpions might be merged with police.

Ngcuka also denied allegations that he had been forced to surrender his BMW 750 to the justice department. He bought the vehicle while under the impression that he was entitled to a car allowance.

Ngcuka had been driving his own car since May last year, said Ngwema. The car concerned was sold to the department for Ngcuka's use after it was discovered they were supposed to provide him with a vehicle. Ngwema said that there was a discrepancy regarding the price of the vehicle, which exceeded the amount set aside for a vehicle.

"So Ngcuka stopped using the vehicle and purchased his own," said Ngwema.

The Democratic Alliance and the United Democratic Movement have said that the attack on the Scorpions and Ngcuka would create an impression that government was uncomfortable with investigations that involved highlevel government officials and senior African National Congress officials.

Meanwhile, Maharaj has refused to respond to allegations that his family received a free holiday to Disneyland from Shaik, which was organised by US company Brown and Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton, a company with ties to US vice-president Dick Cheney.

The report was handed last week to First Rand, where Maharaj is a nonexecutive director. Maharaj said he would not comment until the investigation had been completed.

Five months ago FirstRand mandated Deloitte & Touche to probe allegations that Maharaj might have accepted a payment of R500000 from Shaik while he was minister.

The payment was made before a consortium in which Shaik was involved won a lucrative contract from Maharaj's ministry in 1998 to upgrade the N3 toll road between Johannesburg and Durban. Last week Maharaj launched an investigation of his own into an apparent leak to the media that his wife was to be arrested by the Scorpions for tax evasion. He was apparently told by a journalist that a source in the Scorpions had tipped the media off.

Police confirmed that he had lodged a complaint.

The Star, which did not carry the story in the end, has refused to reveal its source.

With acknowledgement to Chantelle Benjamin and the Business Day.