The National Prosecuting Authority was "certainly very pleased" with the Constitutional Court's rejection of the challenge by African National Congress president Jacob Zuma.

"This marks the conclusion of one chapter in the protracted legal battle," NPA spokesman Tlali Tlali said outside the court on Thursday.

Zuma and French arms company Thint had contested the lawfulness of search and seizure operations at their premises.

Zuma and Thint also lost their bid to prevent the state from bringing original documents from Mauritius to South Africa for use in their corruption trial.

Tlali maintained that the state was "court ready *1".

Unless interlocutory applications were made , it would be able to prosecute and "get the criminal trial underway *2".

He said it was only at Zuma's appearance in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on August 4 that the possible trial date could be made known.

Zuma's legal team has indicated that it intends applying for a review of the constitutionality of the case against him.

This application will be heard on August 4 and 5.

Based on the outcome, the team could bring an application for a permanent stay of prosecution.

Tlali dismissed a claim that the Constitutional Court judgment proved that there was a political conspiracy against Zuma.

He said the NPA conducted its business in terms of the NPA act and the constitution. Anyone who had a problem with the conduct of the state had recourse to the court, an avenue Zuma and Thint had taken.

Asked about the impact of the ruling on the state's case against Zuma, Tlali said that the NPA had made an assessment and concluded that the issues ruled on did not "form the backbone of the decision to institute criminal proceedings".

With acknowledgements to Jenni O'Grady and Sapa.