Pietermaritzburg - The state’s ship was sinking inside the Pietermaritzburg High Court, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told thousands of Zuma supporters outside the court on Wednesday.

“It is clear to anyone inside that court that the ship is sinking. The facts and lies don’t mix,” he said.

Vavi said the media that spread propaganda on the Zuma issue now had “long faces.

“As I said yesterday that people will get sick, some people already have running stomachs.”

Vavi left the court saying he was rushing to Johannesburg to prepare for the coming Cosatu congress.

Earlier the crowd was briefed by KwaZulu-Natal finance and economic development MEC Zweli Mkhize on the court proceedings.

Some of the supporters were hanging from trees and nodded in agreement when Mkhize said anything in favour of Zuma, murmuring, “Nazoke” (that’s it).

Zuma is accused of having accepted a R500 000 a year bribe from co-accused Thint in exchange for protection from a probe into South Africa’s multi-billion rand arms deal.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and The Citizen.