"There will not be any fights. We call for maximum discipline from all those that will be attending the funeral," said ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza on Monday.

Nzuza, who was briefing the media on the commemoration events planned in honour of the late "young lion", was responding to media questions on whether the league feared that violence would break out if EFF leader Julius Malema attended the funeral.

This is following a war of words which flared when the ANCYL in KwaZulu-Natal and its mother body slammed Malema for claiming that he had urged Magaqa to join the EFF shortly before his death.

Magaqa, who was shot in a suspected ambush in Umzimkhulu in July, died in a Durban hospital last Monday. The Hawks are reportedly investigating allegations that Magaqa could have been poisoned after his neighbours told Times Live that they suspected foul play because Magaqa was on the mend.

Shortly after his graduation ceremony last week, Malema reportedly said: "I told him many times to leave the ANC and to come and be the national organiser of the EFF, because I knew he loved the ground, I knew he loved working with ordinary people on the ground.

"I would have saved his life; I had a duty to save his life."

Malema's comments were met with widespread criticism.

Doubt cast on Magaqa's loyalty to ANC

On Monday Nzuza said: "The youth league has further noted some unfortunate and extremely distasteful remarks made by those who seek to gain cheap political points on the back of comrade Sindiso Magaqa's passing.

"They have used what was supposed to be a solemn occasion to seek relevance and cast doubt on comrade Magaqa's unflinching loyalty to the ANC.

"Until his very last day, comrade Magaqa remained loyal to the struggle of his generation and the cause of his people. We, who knew him and remained close to him until the very end, will attest to this fact."

Nzuza said he was not aware of anything that suggested that Magaqa was about to join the EFF.

Killing field

The youth league also expressed its concern about political killings in KwaZulu-Natal.

"Gun-toting criminals who see our political leadership as a killing field must be exposed and flushed out," he said.

Magaqa's uncle, Duma Magaqa, said the family was in the process of finalising Saturday's programme and that anyone who wanted to attend, was welcome to do so.

A memorial service is expected to be held on Wednesday at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus at 15:30.

On Thursday, a memorial service is expected to take place at eBhisa Sports Field in Umzimkhulu, KwaZulu-Natal at 10:00.

The funeral service is expected to take place on Saturday at the eBhisa Sports Field in Umzimkhulu at 09:00.

News24