However, FYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu has rejected this as a "cheap and lousy claim".

The university confirmed that in July last year, it awarded a R27.8 million tender for the conversion of a gymnasium into a laboratory to Collins Foromo, the Mail & Guardian reported.

Foromo was once a driver for expelled African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema.

Foromo told the M&G he was invited to all FYL rallies, but he denied contributing to the organisation.

Questions have been raised about who funds the FYL, an organisation which was formed after Malema was expelled.

The university also awarded Mandla Seopela, one of the founders of the FYL, a three-year lease for dining facilities on campus, the M&G reported.

The newspaper was unable to establish the value of the deal.

The university confirmed that it awarded the tender to Seopela's company, Bohlaleng Foods, in January last year.

Seopela has been quoted as a spokesman for the FYL, and works as a speech-writer for Limpopo premier and Malema ally Cassel Mathale, according to the report.

The newspaper reported that it had been told that the higher education department had questioned the awarding of the two university contracts, although the department denied this.

The M&G alleged that the FYL was using the university to fund its activities.

Shivambu denied this.

"This cheap and lousy claim is made because of comrade Mandla Seopela's open and unashamed association with struggles of economic freedom fighters, which he said on various occasions is due to the fact that the leadership of the ANC Youth League... was treated unfairly and should be supported."

Foromo and Seopela "have a right to be economically active and involve themselves in legitimate economic activities", Shivambu said.

He called on the M&G to provide proof that university money was being used to fund FYL programmes.

"The reality is that we have resorted to grassroots mobilisation methods and political activities, which never needed any funding from anybody," he said.