Media hoping to interview Deputy President Jacob Zuma on Monday were threatened with arrest outside the African National Congress headquarters.
Johannesburg metro police officers told reporters, photographers and cameramen that if they crossed a tape barricade, they would be arrested.
Reporters trying to find out why the barricade running along the pavement across the road from the building had been put up were told not to cross the road.
However, passers-by could move freely and hawkers did business as usual.
Metro police officers told reporters their superiors had instructed them to put up the barricade, but would not comment further.
Their spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar, could not be reached for comment.
Earlier, a member of the presidential protection unit shoved a cameraman’s camera into his face when he tried to film the outside of the building.
Zuma, whose financial adviser Schabir Shaik was found guilty of fraud and corruption last week, was attending a weekly African National Congress working-group committee meeting.
The meeting was closed to reporters.
It was not known how long the meeting would last.
Judge Hillary Squires, who found Shaik guilty, also found that the relationship between Zuma and Shaik was ”generally corrupt”.
This has sparked calls from opposition parties and others for Zuma to quit or to be fired.
Earlier on Monday, his spokesperson Lakela Kaunda said from Pretoria: ”The deputy president is fine. We are going to have a normal working day today [Monday].”
Kaunda said there was not really anything new about the furore regarding the ties between Zuma and Shaik.
”This has now been going on for four years.”
Asked if Zuma intended to respond to the outcome of the Shaik trial, she said no media briefings had been planned for the day.
Initial reports had suggested Zuma might call a news conference at the weekend.
”And none is planned at all for today [Monday],” said Kaunda. ”As for the rest of the week, we will send you a diary of his activities later.”
Presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo confirmed on Monday that Zuma will act as president during a state visit by President Thabo Mbeki to Chile.
Mbeki is expected to return home by Thursday night.
Asked whether Zuma and Mbeki had met during the weekend, Khumalo said: ”I am not aware of anything.” — Sapa