South Africa's political heavyweight Jacob Zuma who faces two charges of corruption appeared in a court in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Monday.

Zuma, the country's former deputy president, was greeted by thousands of supporters outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court, reported the South African Press Association.

Zuma and Thint South Africa, the local subsidiary of French armaments company Thales, face charges of corruption related to the multi-billion-rand arms deal concluded between South Africa and various international arms companies in the late 1990's.

Charges were brought against the former anti-apartheid fighter after he was implicated in the fraud and corruption conviction of his businessman friend and financial adviser, Schabir Shaik.

Shaik was accused of facilitating a bribe of 500,000 rand (73, 500 U.S. dollars) a year, offered by Thint, in exchange for his silence during a probe into the arms deal. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Zuma, who was dismissed as the country's deputy president by President Thabo Mbeki and sued last June, has denied the accusation. His supporters claimed the case against Zuma was part of a plot to prevent him from succeeding Mbeki when the president completes his second and final term in 2009.

The popularity of the embattled political figure has soared since he was acquitted of a rape charge in May.

Source: Xinhua