Despite President Thabo Mbeki's express wish that the Scorpions' investigation into Deputy President Jacob Zuma be concluded as soon as possible - and that the unseemly war of words between Zuma and the Scorpions should cease - it was unclear late yesterday whether Zuma had responded to the deadline to answer questions put to him by the Scorpions.

The Scorpions have insisted that Zuma was given until yesterday to answer the questions they put to him about alleged corrupt practices.

Zuma has denied that any such deadline was set. Political commentators said it would have been expected of Zuma to answer the questions very soon and to meet the deadline in line with the president's wishes and to limit the damage done in the row between him and the Scorpions.

Asked whether Zuma had answered the questions, Scorpions spokesman Sipho Ngwema said yesterday evening that the investigation unit had taken a decision not to make any further comments on the Zuma investigation.

Speculation is rife that the Scorpions may have been scalded in the extensive fallout over the Zuma affair.

Zuma has charged that the investigations into his finances have been consistently leaked by the Scorpions.

He has also questioned the motives of the investigators.

With acknowledgements to Andre Koopman and the Cape Times.