It was Nkobi Holdings boss Schabir Shaik who betrayed Deputy President Jacob Zuma to the media and not the Scorpions, the Hefer Commission has heard.

There were major developments in the commission's probe - into allegations that National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka was apartheid spy RS452 - yesterday as Marumo Moerane SC, counsel for Ngcuka, wrapped up his cross-examination of former ANC intelligence operative Mo Shaik. These included:

Moerane made it clear the Scorpions had tried their best to protect their investigation into allegations that Zuma took bribes related to the arms deal from being exposed in the media, by among other things blanking out names in court papers. Moerane said it would be Ngcuka's case that Schabir Shaik - Zuma's financial adviser and Mo Shaik's brother, who is to stand trial for alleged arms deal corruption - had leaked the information about the Zuma investigation to the press.

Mo Shaik was given a chance to change his evidence about protecting Zuma, but insisted he did what he did because he perceived Zuma to be the victim of a "false investigation".

It now seems almost inevitable that Zuma will have to appear before the commission.

But the ANC reiterated yesterday that it was "unnecessary" for Zuma to testify before the Hefer Commission.

ANC spokesperson Steyn Speed said: "We feel it's not necessary for him (Zuma) to appear before the commission as he has no records relevant to the work of the commission."

He said the ANC records had been handed over to the relevant intelligence structures.

Yesterday Moerane said he believed Mo Shaik had changed parts of a report before the commission by removing information suggesting that Ngcuka was not a spy.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis, Makhudu Sefara an d the Cape Times.