With more than R11-million set aside or already paid out for Jacob Zuma's legal costs, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has not ruled out further state funding.

Replying to a parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance MP Sheila Camerer, Mlambo-Ngcuka said any application for legal representation by someone employed or who had been employed by the state, including Zuma, was considered by the relevant department's accounting officer on its merits.

A recommendation by the state attorney would be taken into account and the accounting officer looked at the applications on a "case-by-case basis".

"If approved, fees to be charged are negotiated, either at a retainer rate or a reduced rate, whichever is the more cost effective.

"The number of legal representatives to be involved in the matter is also limited to the barest minimum in order to save on costs to be incurred," Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

Yesterday, she repeated that the state had paid for apartheid-era cabinet minister Magnus Malan's legal costs, as well as those of Dr Wouter Basson.

In reply to African Christian Democratic Party MP Steve Swart, Mlambo-Ngcuka said that if the case was eventually lost, the money would be recovered from the state employee concerned.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal and The Star.