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

The documents pertain to meetings between Zuma, his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik and Thint.

He did not anticipate any delays in filing the papers in court opposing the NPA's request for the release of the documents from Mauritius, Zuma's attorney Michael Hulley said this week.

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

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 February 9 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 2000 diary of former Thint chief executive Alain Thetard. 

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Times.