South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma has responded to questions asked by the country's elite investigating unit, the Scorpions, over allegations that he tried to solicit a R500 000 bribe from a French arms company.

Zuma's office on Friday issued a statement saying his lawyers had replied to "some" of the 35 questions which were published in the Sunday Times three weeks ago.

Zuma reacted furiously when the questions were made public and accused investigators of leaking information to the media.

Zuma was asked about:

His relationship with Durban businessman Schabir Shaik;
His relationship with the French arms company, Thomson/Thales;
His knowledge of business relationships and joint ventures involving Shaik's company, specifically a national contract for drivers' licences, a contract involving an airport in Durban and a national identity card contract;
Particulars of debts in respect of Michigan Investment cc, AQ Holdings and Development Africa - how they were incurred, amounts involved, and if and how they were settled;
Details of the overdraft facilities and status of his Nedbank, Standard Bank, WesBank and SA Permanent Bank accounts from 1994 to 2003;
and All expenses paid on behalf of the ANC during the period 1994 to date and details of his income from 1994 to now.

In his statement, Zuma said: "I responded to all questions that I considered to be relevant to the arms deal investigation." He said he had asked investigators to explain the relevance of some of the questions which "intruded" into his private life.

"The core allegation against me, which has also been repeated untested in the media on a daily basis, is that I attempted to solicit R500 000 a year to protect a French company from being investigated for contraventions arising from the arms deal," said Zuma.

He added that the allegation had arisen from an encrypted fax in French, which he had never seen.

"I have said before, and I repeat, that I have never attempted to solicit any bribe. I have never used my public office to advance the private business interest of any person," said Zuma.

With acknowledgements to Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Andre Jurgens, Jessica Bezuidenhout and the Sunday Times.