The Scorpions were like dogs which had to be "killed" because they were biting the wrong people, Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipho said.

Luzipho told nearly 200 ANC marchers who gathered outside the Durban's Point police station, after marching in the city on Friday, that ANC president Jacob Zuma had suffered enough at the hands of the National Prosecutions Authority (NPA).

Accusing the NPA of waging a seven-year-long "political conspiracy" against Zuma, which involved "spending millions to recover R500 000", Luzipho sought to prove that the Scorpions were ineffective.

Pointing to Point SAPS, he asked, "How many people in this police station were arrested by the Scorpions?"

He also accused the Scorpions of dragging their feet regarding the Zuma case.

"The Scorpions said they would be ready (to prosecute) in February 2008, now it is August *1."

Luzipho's speech was followed by the handing over of a memorandum to Val Melis, from the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions. The document contained details of the party's demands, chief among them the dropping of criminal charges against Zuma.

Zuma is facing a charge of racketeering, four charges of corruption, a charge of money laundering and 12 charges related to the controversial, multimillion-rand government arms deal.

He has applied to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to have the decision to charge him declared unlawful.

The earlier stages of the march were marked by a dramatic confrontation between the ANC marchers and residents of Hotel Lonsdale in Pixley KaSeme (West) Street, a residence of Mangosuthu University of Technology students.

Students aligned to the Inkatha Freedom Party booed the ANC marchers, dangling an IFP flag and a picture of its leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi from the top floor.

The ANC supporters responded by chanting songs mocking the IFP and proceeded with their demonstration.

Next week, the ANC is expected to picket at 11 magistrate's courts in the greater Durban area.

Another protest has been planned for September 10, to take place outside the offices of the NPA in Durban.

With acknowledgements to Agiza Hlongwane and Sunday Tribune.