A court has ruled that French arms supplier Thales will have to face charges in South Africa over allegedly corrupt payments made to embattled former President Jacob Zuma.

The Times Live website in a report on Saturday said that the order was issued by Judge Alsa Bezuidenhout who ruled that there was reasonable and probable cause to believe that Thales had “directly or indirectly or with common purpose, participated in the enterprise run by Mr Schabir Shaik through a pattern of racketeering activity”.

In its reply, Thales South Africa, denied the allegations, adding that it had “noted” the high court’s decision and was “studying the judgement to consider its legal options”.

This came weeks after Zuma failed in an attempt to have a judge recuse himself from the inquiry into alleged corruption during his presidency.

Judge Raymond Zondo had ruled that claims that he was biased against Mr Zuma had not been made. He also denied being “friends” with the former president.