Durban: Delays in the appointment of a trial judge to preside over Jacob Zuma's corruption trial in July is hampering the state in obtaining crucial documents from Mauritius - and will almost certainly result in the trial being postponed for months, if not a year.

This became apparent on Friday when the state attempted to secure an order from Durban High Court Judge Pete Combrinck under the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act, that the documents be handed over to the South African authorities.

While the judge has yet to give judgment in the matter, it was clear he believed that the issue had to be decided by the corruption trial judge.

If he makes this ruling, then it will mean the issue will probably only be dealt with at the start of the corruption trial on July 31.

And it is likely that Zuma's co-accused, French arms company Thint, will put up a protracted battle in Mauritius to stop the South African authorities getting their hands on the documents.

The judge was told that this could take "at least four months" but legal sources indicated it would most certainly delay the trial for a year.

At issue is Thint representative Alain Thétard's diary for the year 2000 which has a diary entry on Saturday, March 11, that indicates a meeting between Thétard, Zuma and "SS" (Schabir Shaik).

The diary was seized from Thint's offices in 2001 by Mauritian authorities and copies were used against Shaik, with the consent of the defence, in his corruption trial.

The state alleges that this document proves that a meeting took place between the "three co-conspirators", when the bribe to Zuma from Thint was discussed and agreed upon.

Another document the state needs is that which shows that Thint, Mauritius, paid R250 000 to Shaik.

It was this money that Judge Hilary Squires, presiding officer in the Shaik trial, found to be the first instalment of a planned R1 million bribe to Zuma.

With acknowledgement to Tania Broughton and Cape Times.