President Thabo Mbeki was not consulted by the National Prosecuting Authority on whether or not to prosecute Jacob Zuma.

In fact, asserted NPA national director advocate Vusi Pikoli on Tuesday, the president was - as a courtesy - informed of the decision to charge the former deputy president only hours before it was publicly announced.

At a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, Pikoli made it clear that Mbeki did not play any role in his decision to charge Zuma with two counts of corruption.

"The only people I called in was the team that was involved in the prosecution of Schabir Shaik and senior executives at the NPA.

"That was after I had gone through the judgment and they had gone through the judgment themselves.

"There was no consultation with the president," Pikoli said.

"Prosecutors take the decision to prosecute, and no one else.

"Prosecutors do so on the basis of what is contained in the docket as well as the sufficiency and insufficiency of the evidence.

"That is the basis on which the decision was taken."

Pikoli emphasised that he had not, at any stage, discussed Zuma's case with the president, even when he accompanied Mbeki on a state visit to Chile, he added.

The NPA announced on June 14 that Zuma was to face two counts of corruption, after the conviction of Shaik by Judge Hilary Squires.

Zuma appeared in court last week and was granted bail of R1 000. His trial date has not been announced.

The dismissal of Zuma and the charges he faces have led to major ructions within the ANC and its alliance partners Cosatu and the South African Communist Party.

This week, Cosatu opened a special bank account which workers can use to contribute money to help Zuma with his legal fees, which are expected to run into millions of rands.

With acknowledgements to Jovial Rantao and The Star.