Supporters outside the court chanted: 'Who told you that Zuma is guilty?' [AFP]

Hundreds of supporters staged a vigil outside the court overnight before Zuma's appearance on Monday at the court in Pietermeritzburg.

ANC members, as well as supporters from powerful trade union ally COSATU and the Communist Party were among those protesting Zuma's innocence and demanding that the charges be dropped.

Zuma is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from French arms firm Thint and faces charges of corruption, fraud, money-laundering and racketeering.

He has denied the charges but says he will step down from his position if convicted.

Crowds gather

Crowds gathered across from the high court late on Sunday chanting "Who told you that Zuma is guilty?"

Some wore hats which read "Jacob Zuma for South Africa President" and others carried placards that carried the words: "All shall be equal before the law."

"We believe that Mr Zuma is being persecuted because when you look at it, he is being charges for arms related deals and therefore we believe that there are many people in the arms deal who have never being actually investigated, so, that is why we believe it is a persecution," Wiseman Nxumalo, a Zuma supporters, said.

Zuma took over from Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, as the head of the ANC afetr an election in december which was marked by bitter infighting between supporters of the two men.

Mbeki fired Zuma as South Africa's deputy president in 2005 after he was implicated in a corruption case involving Schabir Shaik, his former financial adviser, who was jailed for 15 years.

'Rights violated'

Zuma's supporters say the case has been encouraged by Mbeki loyalists aimed at derailing chances of becoming president.

Zuma was elected as ANC leader at a bitter party conference in December [EPA]

"Throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case the ANC president has had his rights repeatedly violated by institutions of state," the ANC said in a statement.

The ANC Youth League called on Mbeki on Sunday to step down to allow for an early election.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charged Zuma with corruption for a second time shortly after he took over the helm of the ANC, the earlier charges were dismissed due to technical reasons.

On Thursday, his hopes of having the case thrown out were dealt a blow by the constitutional court which upheld a ruling by the supreme court of appeals that raids on properties belonging to Zuma and his lawyer were valid and thousands of documents seized could be used against him in a trial.

A protracted trial could overlap with general elections scheduled for 2009.

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