AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma has lodged an application for leave to appeal against the Durban High Court’s decision to request documents from Mauritius that may relate to arms deal corruption.

Zuma lodged the application today. The documents the State seeks from Mauritius include the 2000 diary of Alain Thetard, the former CE of Thales International’s South African subsidiary Thint (Pty) Ltd, which reportedly details a meeting in March 2000 between him, Zuma and convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleges that an agreement on a R500,000-a-year bribe for Zuma was reached at this meeting.

Should Judge Phillip Levensohn reject the appeal, then Zuma can petition the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.

At the time that Levensohn ruled in favour of the NPA, Ajay Sooklal, the attorney for Thint, also said the company would lodge an appeal.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Business Day.