The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is expected to make an announcement on Friday related to the corruption prosecution of African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma.

Some media reports suggest that the NPA will announce on Friday whether the charges would be dropped or not, but the NPA has only said it will give an indication on Friday "as to when the actual decision will be communicated".

The weekly Mail & Guardian newspaper said it was "very likely" that charges against the ruling party's presidential candidate would be dropped.

The Star newspaper reported that the NPA was expected to inform Justice Minister Enver Surty about a decision on Friday morning.

Zuma's lawyer, Michael Hulley, was due to travel from Durban to Johannesburg on Friday ahead of the expected statement from the NPA, the daily reported.

The NPA earlier this week said it was considering a "basket of information" it received from the ANC leader's lawyers which could lead to a decision to drop fraud and corruption charges against Zuma.

In a statement earlier this week, the NPA said: "We are in a position to indicate that on Friday, we should be standing on a solid or firm footing to give an indication to the media and South Africa, as to when the actual decision will be communicated in this regard."

As the ANC goes into its final stretch of campaigning for the April 22 election, a decision to drop the case would mean he (Zuma) no longer has 16 criminal charges looming.

They include one of racketeering, one of money-aundering, two of corruption and 12 of fraud relating to a multibillion rand arms deal.

Arms company Thint is the co accused in the case.

In the last fortnight, news reports have suggested the charges will be dropped, with one publication proclaiming on Sunday "Zuma is off the hook".

In terms of the Constitution, the NPA can review a decision to prosecute after taking representations from the accused, the complainant and any other interested parties.

The authority would not comment on the details provided in the largely unsourced media reports on the representations, which reportedly include recordings of tapped telephone calls, apparently proving a political conspiracy against Zuma.