DURBAN: Lawyers for convicted fraudster and ANC heavyweight Schabir Shaik have launched an 11th hour bid to have his 15-year jail term reduced.

In papers filed in his application for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court, Shaik's lawyers argued that he should not have been handed the prescribed 15-year jail term for corruption because he committed the offence before minimum sentencing provisions became law.

In "supplementary written argument" filed with the court late last month, Advocate H Gani said the issue was now being raised because "it had not occurred to (Shaik's) legal representatives before".

Shaik is serving an effective 15-year sentence after being convicted of corruption, fraud and money-laundering relating to his relationship with ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma.

The convictions and sentences imposed by Durban High Court Justice Hilary Squires, were confirmed last year by the Supreme Court of Appeal and Shaik began serving his sentence, although he had spent the best part of it thus far in hospital, being treated for hypertension.

His application to the Constitutional Court, to be heard next week, is his last legal hope of getting out of jail.

First he has to persuade the court to grant him leave to appeal and, while some legal experts have already said that it is a long shot, his legal team are leaving no stone unturned.

With acknowledgements to Tania Broughton and Cape Times.