Johannesburg: Jacob Zuma and his advisers are said to have put at least eight senior legal men on standby for the former deputy president's impending trial on corruption charges.

Other than Kessie Naidu, SC, of Durban, four members of the legal team - whose names were given by well-placed sources - would confirm that they had been briefed. The names of the other four counsel have not been divulged.

Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, also declined to confirm any of the names.

It is understood that two senior counsel from Durban, Kemp J Kemp and Jerome Brauns, have been briefed to defend Zuma.

Last month, Kemp represented the lobby group Doctors for Life, arguing before the Constitutional Court that the public had a right to take part in the lawmaking process.

Brauns has been the chief investigator in the Jali commission of inquiry into suspected corruption in prisons. Justice Thabani Jali has recently been appointed deputy judge president of the Natal bench.

Contacted for comment, all Kemp would say before hanging up was: "Well, that may or may not be so. Mr Zuma already has an attorney. If he wants to tell you, then that is fine."

Brauns would also say nothing. He said he had been "instructed not to comment".

It is also understood that Willem Heath, former judge and former head of the Special Investigating Unit, is part of the team.

Hulley said: "It seems clear the Zuma team has decided not to go the route of Schabir Shaik - who had only one senior counsel - but to be very sure they can deal with any aspects of this trial that may be thrown at them.

"They are thus looking at a spread of counsel with expertise in matters ranging from criminal to forensic auditing and civil matters." But it is early days and Zuma and his closest advisers are waiting to see whether the state produces an indictment by October 11 as promised by the National Prosecuting Authority.

Only then will the team firm up its choice of counsel.

A group of four people is believed to be handling all legal and other matters relating to Zuma's trial. This group, which refers to itself as a "collective", is understood to include Zuma and Hulley. Hulley declined to confirm or deny any of this last night.

For the moment, the team is clearly concentrating on dealing with the aftermath of the Scorpion raids on Zuma's two Johannesburg homes and on Hulley's Durban office on August 18.

On Monday, Hulley is to file an urgent application in the Durban High Court challenging the search and seizure of files.

With acknowledgements to Jeremy Gordon, Nalisha Kalideen and the Cape Times.