The African National Congress would appoint an ad-hoc committee to draw up a "detailed structural report" on the arms deal, the party announced in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

"We are not asking for the reopening of the arms deal. We need to get a detailed formal report ... to take informed decisions on what to do and locate this case and the charges against the president," said Mathews Phosa, party treasurer-general.

The ad-hoc committee would include the deputy president of the party, Kgalema Motlanthe, Phosa, Lindiwe Sisulu and Cyril Ramaphosa.

The party's National Executive Committee (NEC) wanted to put together a report because we "don't want to do thumbsucking".

The ANC's president Jacob Zuma faces trial in August on charges related to alleged corruption in a massive arms deal. He is being charged alongside French arms company Thint.

At a press briefing on the 96th anniversary of the party's establishment, and after the first meeting of its newly elected NEC, the ANC expressed "grave misgivings" about the timing of the National Prosecuting Authority's decision to recharge Zuma.

The case had earlier been struck off the roll at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe criticised the "Hollywood style" conduct of the NPA and said the party would support its leaders.

"The president of the ANC is going to fight this case with every sinew of his body," he told journalists after Monday's National Executive Committee meeting.

The party also said nothing should be read into President Thabo Mbeki's absence at Monday's NEC meeting as interacting between party leaders was not just limited to formal meetings.

The arms deal referred to was one worth over R40 billion, the integrity of which was questioned by politician Patricia de Lille in the late 1990s.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.