The State's crucial response to former deputy president Jacob Zuma's counter-application for a permanent stay of prosecution were in the course of being filed with the Pietermaritzburg High Court late last night.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Makhosini Nkosi indicated that the State was filing about 500 pages of papers in the court in response to submissions by Zuma in his corruption trial.

He said seven senior current and former officials had made affidavits on behalf of the State in the corruption case against the former deputy president.

The papers were due to be lodged yesterday in terms of the deadline imposed by Judge Herbert Msimang on July 31.

However, officials at the Pietermaritzburg High Court confirmed that they had not received the replying papers by the time court officially closed at 4.30pm.

It was learned that prosecution team members, who were in Pretoria, apparently had "logistical difficulties" in getting the papers to Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, confirmed that he expected the papers to be served on him during the course of last night or early today.

Nkosi said the affidavits dealt "exhaustively with the allegations made by Mr Zuma and the other accused" in papers.

In a statement issued to the media after 5pm yesterday, Nkosi said copies of the affidavits had been forwarded to the defence attorneys of record.

One of the defence lawyers who saw the affidavits would only say last night that "blood will be flowing".

Nkosi said that, in all, seven affidavits had been deposed to on behalf of the State in its response to the papers filed by Zuma and his co-accused, Pierre Moynot, managing director of Thint Holdings, the company charged with bribing Zuma in exchange for his support and protection in relation to the lucrative arms deal.

Nkosi said the NPA had decided not to issue any of its affidavits "outside the current court processes in due deference and respect to the court", saying this was after Judge Msimang had indicated that the court would not issue the papers to the public until he had studied them.

"In line with the NPA's policy, we shall not be making any comments on this matter as it is sub judice. We shall also refrain from issuing any of the documents in the State's possession to the media."

The war of words between Cosatu and prosecutions boss Vusi Pikoli is intensifying, with the labour federation calling for the withdrawal of criminal charges against Zuma, who is ANC deputy president .

Cosatu, meanwhile, has denied media reports of divisions among its leaders and that secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi is under investigation for the alleged abuse of a Cosatu credit card.

It said "faceless forces" were hard at work targeting Cosatu national office bearers.

On Zuma, Cosatu reiterated its view yesterday that there was "indeed active collaboration between the NPA and some in the media, with the view of launching a media trial that would tarnish Jacob Zuma's image and damage his credibility and standing, as part of a systematic and well orchestrated campaign to end his political career".

In a strongly worded letter to Cosatu last week, Pikoli said Cosatu must prove its allegations that the NPA was colluding in a political conspiracy against Zuma or shut up.

Yesterday Cosatu denied that Vavi was the subject of an internal investigation for misappropriation of resources for the benefit of a woman he was apparently involved with.

He was accused of using a Cosatu credit card to hire expensive cars for her and had also allegedly taken her on a number of overseas trips at Cosatu's expense.

According to reports, Cosatu chairman Willie Madisha was investigating the claims and had recently informed Cosatu's national office bearers of the probe.

Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said, however, that there was no truth to the suggestions that Cosatu office bearers collectively or individually were conducting an investigation into Vavi.

Craven said Madisha had confirmed in yesterday's central committee meeting that he was not conducting such an investigation.

With acknowledgement to Staff Reporters, Political Bureau, Sapa and Cape Argus.