British publication the Guardian was negotiating a settlement with ANC president Jacob Zuma's lawyers over a comment it says it published by mistake, a spokesperson said on Monday.

"The position at the weekend, was that it was a mistake," said David Leigh, investigations editor.

The action relates to an article by Simon Jenkins setting the scene for Wednesday's elections, headlined "Get used to a corrupt and chaotic South Africa. But don?t write it off".

He opens with comments about the beauty of Cape Town's scenery, writing: "I could not resist the old Afrikaner cliche that this was God's own country."

He then follows with a quote from a companion who calls Zuma a rapist.

This was a reference to a charge of rape on which Zuma was acquitted in 2006.

"Simon Jenkins quoted him when he was in fact acquitted. As a result of that we are quite happy to correct the mistake and pay him a modest sum," said Leigh.

This was based on the legal principle that to publish a defamatory or libellous statement by someone else, even through a direct quote, is also regarded as defamation or libel.

"It was probably a subbing mistake," said Leigh.

The lawyer from the firm Schillings in the UK, which has acted for the likes of Victoria Beckham, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell and Hugh Grant, was not immediately available for comment and nor was an African National Congress spokesperson.

On its website, Schillings writes that court cases are the last resort ? "the exception, not the rule".

Zuma has launched a number of challenges to newspaper articles and cartoons that he finds offensive.