ANC president Jacob Zuma's lawyers were, like the rest of the country, awaiting on Thursday a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decision on what will happen with his corruption case.

"The ball is in their court," said Michael Hulley, who has been at the forefront of Zuma's numerous court appearances and, most recently, representations to the NPA on Zuma's case.

Hulley said it was up to the NPA to tell him what their decision was and beyond that, there was no further information.

"Rather let them do what they are doing," he said, echoing NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali's call for patience while the representations were considered.

On Wednesday media reported that the NPA was about to drop the corruption and fraud prosecution against Zuma, who is the ruling party's Presidential choice for after the April 22 elections.

Zuma's case relates to allegations that he accepted bribes facilitated by his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik from a French arms company.

Shaik was released on medical parole earlier in March after serving less than three years of a 15-year sentence for fraud and corruption related to these allegations.

The African National Congress (ANC) has viewed Zuma's prosecution with suspicion, has been highly critical of the NPA's special investigators handling the case, and has publicly called for a political solution to the matter.

On Wednesday, the NPA said acting prosecutions head Mokotedi Mpshe met senior management and the team responsible for prosecuting Zuma in Pretoria earlier in the day to consider the out of court representations made for him.

"We have recently been supplied with additional information by Mr. Zuma's lawyers which has necessitated further investigation, verification and careful consideration," a statement from the authority read.

"The NPA is treating this process with the utmost urgency it deserves. We will communicate the outcome of this process of consideration to Mr Zuma's lawyers as soon as a decision is in place."

Political parties issued statements saying they were alarmed by the move.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said she immediately wrote to Mpshe asking if it was true that this was the NPA's plan.

She said, if so, it added to the perception of a "back room" political solution just before the election.

ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte said the ANC did not want to comment until a decision had been made, but Independent Online reported national executive committee member Lindiwe Sisulu as saying that the representations centred on their belief that if the NPA had dealt expeditiously with Zuma's case he, the ANC and the country would have seen justice done.

In 2003 the NPA said they had a prima facie case against Zuma but would not be able to win it. They charged and secured a conviction for Shaik instead, and then when he was convicted, proceeded to charge Zuma for the first time in 2005.

Most of Zuma's court appearances have been to challenge technical aspects of the case. The actual fraud and corruption case has not been heard yet.