Axed deputy president Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thint are expected to go into battle with the National Prosecuting Authority tomorrow over the release of documents from Mauritius.

These pertain to meetings between Zuma, his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik - now doing time for fraud - and Thint.

Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, said he did not anticipate any delays in filing the papers in court opposing the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) request for the release of the documents from Mauritius.

"We intend complying with the court order," he said yesterday.

The NPA approached the Durban High Court on December 12 for a letter of request to the Mauritian attorney-general under the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act.

Judge Phillip Levinsohn gave Zuma and Thint until tomorrow to file papers opposing the application, and the state until March 2 to respond.

He set down March 22 to March 25 for argument in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

The documents include the diary for the year 2000 of former Thint chief executive Alain Thetard. 

With acknowledgements to Sapa and The Star.