ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma has likened his entanglement with the law to his trial in Pretoria in 1963, declaring: "I feel like the entire state machinery is against me".

Speaking as he prepared for Tuesday's appearance on corruption charges before a Durban magistrate, and reiterating his innocence, he recalled being charged with conspiracy to overthrow the government.

"The whole court was hostile. I regret to say that today as I walk into a court of a democratic country I still feel the hostility. The only form of defence I have is the support of my comrades. I am not saying that people who commit crime should not be dealt with.

"But what I am saying is that the trial must be dealt with in a fair manner. There must not be an abuse of power," he told a teachers' union rally in Newlands, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.

"The first line of defence that I will use in my trial is that this trial was not fair and it is a defence that I will use until the end."

Zuma has in recent days kept a high profile, attending events and speaking far and wide to drum up support.

Zuma supporters are mobilising for a strong, loud turnout at court involving trade unions and busing plans, and the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has vowed to not go to school on Tuesday in a show of support.

The National Prosecuting Authority is playing its cards close to its chest as it prepares for a courtroom showdown with Zuma in two separate, but linked, legal battles in Durban this week.

"The NPA intends to do all its talking in court," is all NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi would say about Zuma's criminal trial at the Durban magistrate's court on Tuesday.

He also said the NPA would, by tomorrow, file papers opposing a joint high court application by Zuma and his attorney, Michael Hulley, to have recent raids on their homes and offices declared null and void.

Zuma's second appearance in his fraud and corruption trial on Tuesday is likely to be adjourned until March next year, while the Scorpions continue probing his financial affairs and await an auditor's report to finalise charges against him.

In correspondence between Hulley and Scorpions prosecutor Anton Steynberg, which forms part of papers filed in court on Thursday, Steynberg told Hulley the state was not ready to proceed with the trial against Zuma.

In response, Hulley wrote: "Any further delay would ... not be in his [Zuma's] interest, nor in the administration of justice. He will not be disposed to consenting to an adjournment for further investigation." However, Steynberg said no undertaking had been given at Zuma's previous court appearance that the investigation would be finalised by next week.

He said recent raids had yielded more than 93 000 documents that had to be scanned, copied and scrutinised, and "many thousands" of pages of new bank records required analysis.

"Our forensic auditors say this will take at least another three months and only then can a report be drafted ... further threatened applications, including one by your client, will invariably lead to further delays. In the light of the above, the state will have no option but to apply for a further adjournment of this matter," Steynberg said.

He proposed the case be adjourned until March next year, when the state would serve Zuma with an indictment and the docket and forensic report would be made available to the defence.

In a telephone interview with The Sunday Independent this week, Zuma said: "I'm not guilty." Fresh from receiving an international peace award, and acknowledged in the country for his role in the liberation struggle, he conceded that his security had been beefed up after the killing of businessman Brett Kebble, an ardent Zuma supporter. Zuma added that he was shocked and saddened by what he described as "the assassination of Kebble".

"He was assassinated. No hijacker would shoot and damage the vehicle if they intended taking it away from him," Zuma said, labelling the shooting in Johannesburg last week as a black spot on democracy.

"I knew him quite well ... felt extremely sorry for his family, who had to put up with a trial in the media when they ought to have been mourning his death," Zuma said.

He added that despite Kebble's many business ventures, some of which were the subject of police investigations, he [Kebble] had not been convicted of any crime. "I found it inhumane that a family who had lost their father had to put up with what they did ... I fought for freedom of expression and the press but I believe there is a limit and those rights cannot be at the expense of pain and suffering," he said.

Zuma told The Sunday Independent despite events of the past six months he had never lost faith in himself and was confident. "Firstly, I know I've not committed a crime. Secondly, I think I've been around long enough in the struggle and gone through enough difficult times to not feel despondent," he said.

"I've crossed rivers and climbed mountains so I know how to handle difficult situations. My feeling is that I'm not guilty of anything."

Zuma said he went to Los Angeles, California, a week ago to receive an honour as chief ambassador for peace from Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Los-Angeles-based Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace.

On Thursday, Zuma, ANC deputy president, was given an iNyathi Award at Mangosuthu Technikon for his contribution to the liberation struggle.

The citation for the peace award said: "An ambassador for peace is one who exemplifies life by the ideals of living for others, and dedicating themselves to promoting the ideals of the religious body.

"The Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace is proud to hereby recognise Jacob Zuma as an ambassador for peace."

Zuma said the accolade meant a lot to him. "It inspired me to continue what I was doing, but also opened my eyes to how South Africa is perceived as a model of success abroad. Many in America believe the South African model leading to democracy in 1994 is one to learn from," he said.

"People within the country and outside recognise the humble contribution I have made." 

With acknowledgements to Edwin Naidu, Santosh Beharie and the Sunday Independent.