“As long as the capitalist system is in place in our country, so will be the corruption," he said at a march in Polokwane, held to protest against corruption in the Limpopo government.

“It does not mean that corruption does not exist in conditions of socialism. In China at least four leaders of the communist party there got hanged, literally hanged, for being corrupt."

He said if China could find four leaders guilty of corruption, then South Africa could find more than 50 corrupt officials.

Vavi denied the march was aimed at weakening Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale's bid to be re-elected to the post by the African National Congress.

"This is not factional activity. This is a march against corruption. It is not a march against the ANC. We are not bullets who could be used by anyone in the country."

Vavi said what had happened to the South African woman who was executed in China on Monday for drug smuggling was against human rights, but sent a strong message to those who committed crime. "If you are found guilty, or even get sick on the eve of your prison term, you should account for the crime committed," he said.

Disgraced former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi took ill on Friday, December 2, after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his bid to appeal his conviction on corruption charges, giving him 48 hours to report to jail.