ANC presidential candidate Jacob Zuma refused to step down after the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled yesterday that he must return to court on August 25.

The man likely to be elected president of South Africa in the upcoming general election will have the full backing of the ANC, which will seek to bolster Zuma's legal efforts to quash the corruption, fraud, money-laundering and racketeering charges against him.

ANC general-secretary Gwede Mantashe said the ANC would always support its leader, because if the NPA inflicted a fatal blow to the ANC president, the party would suffer.

"Once you attack the head, the body dies. So we are not just supporting Zuma, we are defending our party," he said.

Zuma said he had been interviewed by a foreign journalist recently, who asked him why he had not thought of stepping down as candidate for the presidency, because of the dark cloud hanging over his head.

"I am an innocent man until proven guilty. This right is protected by the constitution of this country. Just because I have a cloud over my head, does this exclude me from having this right?" Zuma asked.

He said it was a violation of the constitution for the media to find him guilty before he stood trial. If he stepped down, this would be equivalent to pleading guilty.

"I am innocent and I understand and respect our constitution. These rights are afforded to all, including me," he said.

Zuma thanked his supporters and ended the day with his signature dance and rendition of Umshini wami.

On Monday, Zuma's lawyers lodged an application with the Constitutional Court to challenge the Supreme Court of Appeal's ruling that he was not entitled to make representations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) when he was recharged.

He and his co-accused, arms company Thint, were given a deadline yesterday for when legal papers had to be filed in the case against them. Thint intended having the charges against its two entities, Thint Southern Africa and Thint Ltd, consolidated and then applying for a permanent stay of prosecution.

In May Zuma will deliver his application for a permanent stay of prosecution in the long-running investigation against him. His criminal case is centred on accusations of bribery in the country's multi-billion-rand arms deal.

The NPA is also planning its strategy for the Constitutional Court, where it believes it could be "back to square one" if Zuma wins there. If the court grants the NPA a hearing and if Zuma wins, it will have two options: give him a chance to make representations or abandon the case altogether, says spokesman Tlali Tlali.

ANC spokeswoman Jessie Duarte said after Zuma's address that it did not matter when he came back to court, be it before or after the elections.

"All we care about is it happens speedily. We want this to be over with. The ANC believes in Zuma's innocence and we believe there has been constant meddling in this case, which has been detrimental to our president-in-waiting. When this case comes back to court in August, the law must take its course without any interference," she said.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.