Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi warned teachers not to back people who faced corruption charges.

“Any person that is being accused of wrong doing must fight their own battles, we will not get involved,” said Vavi.

He was speaking during the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) regional biennial meeting in Durban.

Vavi said he had heard of imminent arrests of people who were probed for corruption in KwaZulu-Natal.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Monday confirmed that arrest warrants were issued for KwaZulu-Natal economic development and tourism MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu and legislature speaker Peggy Nkonyeni.

The two face fraud and corruption charges relating to a R1 million “donation” paid by South American businessman Gaston Savoi to the African National Congress (ANC) in 2007 in exchange for a R45m government tender.

Normal tender processes were allegedly bypassed so that Savoi's Intaka company was given a tender to supply water purification plants to hospitals and clinics in the province.

Vavi said people accused of corruption should not involve everyone in the ANC, saying that they should hire their own lawyers to represent them.

“I will never back any one who is accused of corruption. I have learned the hard way,” said Vavi without elaborating on his statement.

Vavi said the reported criminal probe against Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was very suspicious.

“When I read newspapers I hear that the public protector is under investigation. That is very suspicious. Why now?” Vavi said.

Vavi said he agreed with Madonsela that she needed protection so that she could conduct her duties without any fear or favour.

“I also received death threats more than a year ago and I reported the matter to the national commissioner and the minister of police,” he said.

A senior police officer sent to him had never reported to him what he found in his investigation.

“It has been reported that the public protector has been asking for protection. I also know how to stand behind firm principles,” said Vavi.

Madonsela recently said she had written to Speaker of Parliament Max Sisulu to follow up on her request for bodyguards.

It was recently reported that police had planned to arrest Madonsela in relation to a R1.8 million payment to a company she owned when she worked for the SA Law Reform Commission.

The report emerged at the time when Madonsela was finalising reports about contracts police entered into to lease new headquarters in Pretoria and Durban, for R500 million and R1.1 billion respectively.

In her preliminary report, Madonsela found police chief General Bheki Cele guilty of maladministration for his role in the leasing.