The Congress of South African Trade Unions has accused the Scorpions of leaking information in a deliberate strategy to put Schabir Shaik and Deputy President Jacob Zuma on trial through the media.

"It seems someone within the Scorpions is hell-bent on discrediting Jacob Zuma and attacking his integrity, despite that fact that he has not been charged and is not to be charged," the union federation said in a statement on Thursday.

Shaik, Zuma's struggle comrade and financial adviser, goes on trial on corruption charges in Durban on Monday; Zuma's name features repeatedly in the indictment.

Cosatu said every time there was a major political event, the Scorpions leaked damaging information to try to discredit Zuma.

This time it seems that the latest leaks had to do with renewed speculation on who would succeed Thabo Mbeki as president.

Scorpions spokesman Sipho Ngwema rejected the charges, saying: "It is only a person who is ignorant about the court process who can make such an uninformed statement.

"The information revealed in the newspapers is from public documents, all of which are available in court.

"Cosatu may go and get them if they want copies.

"We did not leak any documents. Journalists got the documents because they are in the public domain."

With acknowledgement to Sapa.