Johannesburg  - Thousands of South Africans joined demonstrations in support of corruption-accused African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, two days before a court is due to issue a key ruling on his case.

Thousands marched in the port city of Durban and the eastern city of Sasolburg to demand that the charges against former deputy president Zuma be dropped.

Zuma was charged in December last year with corruption, fraud, racketeering and tax evasion. The charges arise out of his relationship with convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik. Shaik was convicted of, among other things, seeking a bribe for Zuma from a French manufacturer during a state arms deal.

A first corruption case against Zuma was thrown out of court in 2005 over prosecution delays in presenting evidence. The new charges were brought within days of his romp to victory in a race for the ANC leadership over incumbent President Thabo Mbeki.

Zuma's allies, which include the rest of the new ANC leadership and the allied Congress of South African Trade Unions and South African Communist Party, claim the charges are merely a political ploy to bar the controversial politician from becoming president next year.

Zuma is the ANC's candidate to replace Mbeki when his second term runs out at April elections.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court is due to rule on Friday on Zuma's application to have the case thrown out on the basis that he was not allowed to make representations about the charges before being indicted.

The ANC has said it expects at least 5,000 supporters to descend on the city for a rally outside the courthouse.

If the court finds against Zuma, he is still expected to apply for a permanent stay of execution.

"Whatever happens Friday Zuma will be the face of the ANC's election campaign," one of Zuma's staunchest supporters, firebrand ANC Youth League leader Julius Maleman declared Wednesday. (dpa)