Durban: A former landlord to Deputy President Jacob Zuma has told the high court here that his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, had "bought" the furniture in his rented apartment - but took the items away without paying for them.

After Zuma moved out of the flat, all Tracy O'Brien found were some clothes, paintings and ornaments, she told Judge Hilary Squires yesterday.

O'Brien was called to give evidence in the case against Shaik, who has been charged with corruption and fraud but has pleaded not guilty.

The state alleges that the rent for Mallington Place, was one of the payments Shaik made in furtherance of what has been alleged to be a "general corrupt relationship" between him and Zuma.

O'Brien said the owner of the apartment in Mallington Place was Paul Saad. She rented the place from him and advertised to sublet it. Shaik answered the advertisement in August, 1996.

The state showed her a letter about rental for Mallington Place that predated her contact with Shaik.

She said she did not know about it. But Shaik's counsel Francois van Zyl SC said his client would say that Zuma had occupied another flat in the block.

O'Brien said Shaik had told her he wanted to "put one of his directors in the flat". She explained that the director she referred to was Nkobi's financial director, Colin Isaacs.

She said that at a later stage, she became aware that Isaacs was no longer living there.

She found out that the flat was now occupied by Zuma. She was informed by the body corporate of the block, who had complained about his armed bodyguards.

"Every month the rent was late. It was eventually always paid. Some of the cheques bounced. But it was always late," O'Brien explained.

She said that after she had found out that Zuma was now occupying the flat, she once telephoned him in frustration about rent not being paid. She later spoke to Shaik, who said that he would sort it out.

She said that the rent was paid by a number of entities but she did not really care, as she was "just grateful to get them".

After a while she terminated the sublease with Shaik, and then decided to sell the furniture in the flat.

Shaik came to have a look and told her that he was going to buy the furniture for "Zuma's house in Zululand".

O'Brien said that the furniture was removed to Empangeni without her knowledge, and was never paid for.

Shaik admitted that Zuma stayed in the flat after it was vacated by Isaacs.

The trial continues.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis and the Cape Times.