The corruption trial of former national police chief Jackie Selebi was postponed on Monday in the High Court in Johannesburg to Tuesday morning.

"I am going to grant the request," said Judge Meyer Joffe, after prosecutor Gerrie Nel requested that the trial be stood down until 9.15am on Tuesday.

"We give the court the commitment that we will be ready to start tomorrow [Tuesday]," said Nel.

Joffe warned both parties that he would not tolerate any games in court.

"It is my intention that this trial must run as smoothly as possible," said Joffe.

Selebi pleaded not guilty as his long-awaited corruption trial finally started.

Selebi, dressed in a grey suit, solemnly stood, as the charges against him were read out in court.

"I plead not guilty," said Selebi, to all counts.

Outside the courtroom, security officials were keeping a close eye on curious onlookers, while journalists were lined up in the public gallery, laptops on their laps, ready to file on one of South Africa's most controversial trials.

Several police vehicles were parked outside the court with policemen and women lingering on the sidewalk and in the hallways of the court.

Two charges of corruption

Selebi is facing two charges of corruption and one of defeating the ends of justice relating to payments he allegedly received from ex-Hyundai boss Billy Rautenbach, and slain mining boss Brett Kebble and his associate Glenn Agliotti, who is accused of murdering Kebble.

The investigation started in 2006 and Selebi first presented himself to court in 2008.

The Star newspaper reported on Monday that his prosecutors had more than doubled the list of potential witnesses against him, which included Agliotti, Rautenbach, Selebi's alleged girlfriend, Nontombi Matshoba, and acting prosecuting boss Mokotedi Mpshe.

Agliotti is expected to be the first witness in a trial that had been set down for five weeks.