ANC president Jacob Zuma served an affadavit on the Mauritius attorney-general today in a bid to prevent the NPA from obtaining documents pertaining to meetings between Zuma, French arms manufacturer Thint and Schabir Shaik, the Daily News reports.

The newspaper said that Zuma stated in his affadavit that the decision to recharge him was "a carefully orchestrated, politically inspired and driven strategy".

The report also said that Zuma claimed Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla had used his treatment at the hands of the Scorpions to motivate the axing of Scorpion boss Advocate Vusi Pikoli.

The Daily News reported that Zuma claimed there was a political conspiracy against him and that his prosecution had been politically motivated.

The 13 documents held in Mauritius include the 2000 diary of former Thint chief executive Alain Thetard which details a meeting between him, Zuma and Shaik - where an alleged R500,000 a year bribe was discussed.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and The Times.