President Jacob Zuma's former financial adviser, who was jailed for fraud and corruption, applied for a presidential pardon in April last year, the president's office said on Monday.

Schabir Shaik was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2005, but was granted parole on medical grounds earlier this year after spending 28 months in prison. "The application will be processed like all other applications. The president must consider every application brought before him in terms of his constitutional responsibilities," Zuma's office said in a statement.

The opposition Democratic Alliance said the government's commitment to fighting crime and corruption would be undermined if Zuma considered the application.

"Under no circumstances must the president consider this application. He must be open with the South African public and immediately deny that he will grant Mr Shaik's application," the DA said in a statement.

"Not to do so would (cause) further speculation and fuel the perception that he is looking on this request favourably."

Shaik's conviction led to former President Thabo Mbeki firing Zuma as deputy president in 2005, which created serious divisions in the ruling African National Congress.

Zuma defeated Mbeki in December 2007 in a bruising contest for the top post in the ruling party and was elected president of South Africa in April this year. - Reuters