ZUMA -SOUTH AFRICA- ZOOM

JOHANNESBURG : *South African police raid Gupta home, pressure cranks up on Zuma*.

Heavily armed South African police raided the luxury home of the Gupta family on Wednesday as part of a probe into allegations the-

Three brothers had corrupt links with President Jacob Zuma, who has been ordered by the ruling  ANC to quit as the head of state.

The raid, which the state broadcaster said resulted in two arrests including one Gupta family member, came amid reports Zuma was preparing to tell South Africa he was stepping down after nine years in office dogged by scandal and economic stagnation.

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said Zuma would speak at 0800 GMT and satellite trucks were in position at Pretoria's Union Buildings, the seat of the country's government.

Zuma's office said there was no ''official communication'' of any impending address but urged media to wait.

The raid on the Gupta's compound marks a dramatic escalation in the pressure on Zuma and the political faction around him accused of milking state resources for their own ends.

A dozen officers from the  elite  Hawks police unit sealed off a street leading to the Gupta home in Johannesburg's upscale  Saxonwold suburb.

One officer blocked access to Reuters saying : ''This is crime scene.'' 

Zuma and the Guptas  - A family of wealthy Indian-born businessmen - deny any wrong doing.

Besides his controversial relationship with the Guptas, Zuma has 783 counts of corruption outstanding against him relating to multi-billion dollar state arms deal in the late 1990s.