Jacob Zuma is willing to answer the 35 questions put to him by the Scorpions about his financial affairs - but regards them as an invasion of his privacy.

In a statement last night, Deputy President Zuma lashed out at National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka for the treatment meted out to him.

Zuma's statement came 24 hours before the expiry of a deadline the Scorpions claim to have set him at midnight tonight. But Zuma insists no deadline was set.

"I wish to state that there was no deadline set for my response," Zuma said after a day of consultations with lawyers. "I shall respond at my earliest convenience."

The statement followed a plea by President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday that the investigation of Zuma's affairs be brought to a close because it had dragged on for far too long.

And Justice Minister Penuell Maduna, who clashed with Zuma over the source of the media leak that led to the publication of the Scorpions' questions, yesterday said Zuma had assured him he would answer the questions fully "very, very soon".

"I have his personal assurance that he will answer the questions in the fullest detail," Maduna said, adding that he wanted to dispel the notion that Zuma was unwilling to co-operate with the Scorpions.

Zuma's lawyers are drafting responses to questions about his alleged acceptance of a R500 000 bribe from a French company linked to the multibillion-rand arms deal; his relationship with his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik; and his financial affairs over the past decade.

Zuma said the questions, finally sent to him on July 9, were the result of sustained pressure from his lawyers.

"I wish to state that the questions were forwarded to me after much legal pressure was brought to bear on the national prosecuting authority by my legal representatives," Zuma said.

He repeated that the allegation that he had paid a R500 000 bribe to prevent a French company linked to the arms deal from being investigated was "utterly baseless".

Zuma disclosed that he was in the process of drafting answers to the questions when, "to my amazement and outrage", he found the questions had been published in "full graphic detail" in Sunday newspapers.

In the concluding paragraph of his statement, Zuma said: "I wish to express my unqualified support for the principle that every accused person is entitled to a fair investigation - uncontaminated by ulterior motives on the part of the investigating authorities - a speedy conclusion of the investigation and a fair trial in open court, and ensuring that justice prevails."

He provided an exchange of legal correspondence between his lawyers and the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, which he said showed how he had been frustrated in his efforts to advance the investigation and been subjected to repeated delays.

"The correspondence shows that I was aggrieved by the national director's failure to afford me an opportunity to put my version before him," Zuma said of Ngcuka.

"Only after I voiced my grievance through my lawyers did he invite me to answer a list of written questions."

He said his attorneys had written to Ngcuka on May 9 2003, protesting that he had refused to respond to media reports that a probe of Zuma was under way.

"Our client, in his capacity as a South African citizen, is bitterly aggrieved at the conduct of your office towards him," Zuma's lawyers wrote to Ngcuka.

"He has nothing to hide and rejects with contempt any suggestion that he has solicited or in any way agreed to accept or even discussed accepting a bribe," the lawyers said.

With acknowledgements to John Battersby and The Star.