A bag of papers belonging to ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma found outside a Durban beach front flat has been sent for forensic testing, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Spokesperson Phindile Radebe said the bag was found outside the flat that was broken into in the early hours of Monday morning.

Radebe said police had obtained fingerprints from the flat. "We are investigating. There is no indication that something was stolen."

Radebe said she could not elaborate on the papers, except to say that they belonged to Zuma. "We have opened a housebreaking case."

The flat does not belong to Zuma, but he "occasionally" used it, said Radebe. Zuma's attorney Michael Hulley said that Zuma had last stayed in the flat on Sunday.

Earlier Hulley was quoted as saying: "This does not appear to be a random act of crime." It appeared that the intruder had rifled through Zuma's documents.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Muzi Mngomezulu said that a crowbar was probably used to enter the flat.

Cosatu condemned the break-in. "This incident is part of the concerted drive to victimise Zuma and to prevent him from getting a fair trial.

"This break-in follows the NPA's raid on his Johannesburg house in 2005, which Cosatu also condemned.

"Without enough evidence to secure a conviction, some within the state structures seem to be using any means, legal and illegal, to lay their hands on enough 'evidence' to justify continuing their campaign to prosecute him, blacken his name and destroy his reputation."

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Pretoria News.