Lead prosecutor Billy Downer SC told the court this morning that he was confident that the State had proved a "clear correspondence" between the financial help given to Deputy President Jacob Zuma and Zuma's attempts to help his financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

Shak told the court this morning that Zuma was like a father- figure to him and that he could have asked and that he could have asked a number of other people to assist him in sorting out his international business affairs as well.

But Downer maintained that Zuma had been asked to help Shak because Zuma "was in Shaik's pocket".

Downer pointed out to Shaik that the payment to Zuma's late wife Kate Zuma and also for part of Zuma's rent of a luxury Durban apartment were not recorded in Nkobi's books.

"It indicates that you were not serious about recovering the money," Downer told Shaik.

Shaik replied that there had been several mistakes in his accounting records that had been fixed at a later stage.

Downer indicated, however, that he would argue that a clear line could be drawn between the dates of payments to Zuma and the date Zuma intervened on Shaik's behalf.

Yesterday, the court heard that a mystery witness from the French arms company Thomson had agreed to give evidence.

Shak said the witness's testimony was expected to deal with a payment of R250 000 made to Shik's Nkobe gorp of companies by Thomson. The State alleges this was the first payment of a R1 million rand bribe that was aimed at securing Deputy President Jacob Zuma's protection and support for Thomson.

"Who is it?" Downer asked him.

"It is up to my senior counsel," Shaik replied.

"What is his name?" Downer asked.

"You will be informed later," Shaik said.

Several French employees from Thomson have been named during the trial. They are :

Alain Thetard : A former South African director of Thomson, he has admitted writing the controversial encrypted fax allegedly setting out a bribe agreement with Zuma. Thetard left the country before he could be charged in the trial. He is refusing to return.

Pierre Moynot : The present South African director of Thomson. She has had several discussions with Shaik.

Jean Paul Perrier : One of the senior members of Thomson in France. It is alleged that he had to give the go-ahead for the bribe to be paid. Shaik tried to see him on several occasions.

Yann de Jomaronn : Mauritian-based head of Thomson's South African operations. He is alleged to have been present at a "damage control" meeting with Shaik in November 2000.

As Shaik was cross-examined for the seventh day, Judge Hilary Squires's patience ran out at times.

"You have been cross-examining for more than a week. Just hurry up …" he told Downer.

In another dramatic twist Shaik told the court that it had been a clear "error" when he said he had discussed the encrypted fax setting out the bribe agreement with Thetard and De Jomaronn during a "damage control" meeting in November 2000.

The trial continues.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis and the Cape Argus.