A "brains trust" of legal and academic experts is helping the African National Congress devise a strategy to free its president Jacob Zuma from investigations related to the controversial arms deal, the Mail & Guardian reported on Friday.

Judge Willem Heath, SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) President Sipho Seepe and the University of Cape Town's deputy registrar of legal services Paul Ngobeni were reportedly working towards "ultimately closing the book on the entire arms deal saga".

This included raising public consciousness about the unfairness of the investigation into him on corruption charges relating to the deal; giving Zuma's legal team ammunition to argue for a permanent stay of prosecution and using the fallout about the Constitutional Court's complaint against Judge John Hlophe to argue that courts couldn't be impartial.

The final "thrust" appeared to be for Parliament to close the arms deal saga and order that all investigations be shut down, the report said.

Seepe and Ngobeni said they were not paid ANC consultants, but confirmed having discussions with each other and with Heath.

Ngobeni said he was not part of a "concerted campaign" to save Zuma, but had been engaged in debates he believed were important for the country.

Seepe said his reference point was protecting institutions.

The SAIRR later issued a statement saying: "The Institute wishes to point out that neither the institute nor its president is involved in any campaign for the benefit of Mr Zuma or any other political figure."

Seepe was not immediately available to elaborate on the nature of the reported discussions.

Heath was not available to comment ahead of the report's publication.

United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa said the "campaign" was "nothing new".

"Over the years this campaign has already culminated in two wasteful Commissions of Inquiry, under the auspices of Judges Hefer and Khampepe, which the taxpayer had to foot the bill for. All of these lay bare the blatant campaigns in favour Zuma."

He said: "The danger for our democracy is that the whole campaign might create a precedent for future cases of this nature; the notion is being established that some people are above the law," he said.

The party also objected to Zuma's defence being partly funded by the taxpayer and said a new Parliament should urgently change the law allowing high-ranking government officials charged with corruption to have the taxpayer foot the bill.

Sapa