"I continue to do so till this day," Shaik told the court at his fraud and corruption trial.

Shaik began testifying in his defence on Monday and has detailed payments made to and on behalf of Zuma.

The payments included money to support Zuma's wives and children, accommodation, cars and even suits from the exclusive Durban men's boutique, Casanova.

Shaik also footed bills on behalf of the African National Congress but said those bills were regarded as contributions to the party. On one occasion Shaik hired a jet for Zuma when he urgently had to attend an ANC meeting in Johannesburg.

Zuma wanted to leave politics

On Tuesday Shaik told the court that at one stage Zuma wanted to leave politics because he could not support his family with the salary he was earning when he was MEC for economic affairs and tourism in KwaZulu-Natal.

"I advised Mr Zuma to stay in politics for the future of our children..." said Shaik. He again emphasised that his relationship with Zuma was not only based on the fact that they were political comrades, they were friends as well.

"I found myself helping a friend with quite a sizeable family which I believe brought him joy in his life," said Shaik.

Vehicle payments

Shaik also had to make vehicle payments on behalf of Zuma although he received a travel allowance, because Zuma also used the car for ANC business and there was a lot of red tape in acquiring a government vehicle.

The court also heard that former president Nelson Mandela also offered to "extinguish" Zuma's debt because he feared that Zuma's financial problems were "distracting him from his duties at the ANC".

Zuma then asked Shaik to consolidate all his debt so that he could present it to Mandela. Zuma, accompanied by Shaik's attorney Anand Moodley, went to see Mandela in Johannesburg and Shaik was expected to pay for that trip as well.

Two types of expenses

Shaik said Zuma incurred two types of expenses: one for the ANC and one for his family. He said Zuma was going to pay back the money he had borrowed for his personal use and that apart from two acknowledgements of debt they also had a revolving loan agreement between them.

"I believe he (Zuma) was beginning to take responsibility and internalise... what he owed me." However, Shaik said he did not regard the payments for Zuma as liabilities and whether he could pay back or not made no difference because of their friendship.

At one stage Judge Squires asked why the ANC needed so many contributions, and why it could not finance the Deputy President itself. Shaik replied: "I wait for the day the ANC does become cash flush, milord, so they don't have to be in such a precarious position."

The trial continues.