The police and office of African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma were silent yesterday on reports of plots to assassinate him.

The Mail and Guardian reported that a sniper was offered R1 million to assassinate Zuma at a Durban rally in 2004, but did not because Zuma did not arrive as arranged.

However, it was feared this plot could still be carried out ahead of the ANC conference in December, when the party's presidential leadership race would be decided. Two police teams were apparently investigating.

It was also feared that killers planned to lace Zuma's clothing with poison when it was dry-cleaned after failed attempts to poison his food, the newspaper reported.

"No comment," said Dir Sally de Beer, spokesman for National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, when asked to respond to the claims.

According Zuma's aide Ranjeni Munsamy, the view was that "this is a security matter and should be dealt with by the police". She added that there was no comment from his office.

However, the ANC noted the report "with concern", viewing it in "a serious light".

"The ANC trusts that the relevant state agency will be able to establish whether there is any basis to this report, and respond appropriately," said spokesman Smuts Ngonyama.

The police have refused to comment on a claim in the Mail and Guardian report that Zuma has more than 20 bodyguards and other staff "appointed by him, but paid for by the state" who travel with him in a six-vehicle cavalcade.

Snr Supt Vish Naidoo cited "security reasons" for not revealing the size of Zuma's protection detail, or whether he had appointed his bodyguards himself.

The Democratic Alliance questioned Zuma's right to protection in 2005, four months after he was axed as deputy president. - Sapa

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Saturday Independent.