Parliament - Boisterous Economic Freedom Fighters MPs walked into a packed National Assembly chamber singing and dancing on Thursday evening ahead of the much anticipated State of the Nation Address.
Dressed in their signature red overalls and hardhats, the MPs, led by EFF leader Julius Malema, sang "imali yethu siyayifuna" (we want our money). They were referring to the over R200 million of taxpayers' money spent on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, a portion of which the Public Protector declared should be paid back.
The EFF has threatened to disrupt proceedings on Thursday if Zuma did not answer questions on why Zuma fired former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, while speaker Baleka Mbete has vowed to enforce parliamentary rules, which would see the EFF kicked out for disruptions.
ANC MPs largely ignored the group, but later as the premiers of the nine provinces made their ceremonial entrance, the ruling party members stood up chanting "ANC, ANC, ANC".
The EFF continued their singing and dancing, while in the public gallery some eyes were turned to the television screens erected here, which were showing pictures of the chaotic scenes outside the parliamentary precinct .
Police, backed by several armoured vehicles, mounted police and a water cannon, scuffled with protesters as EFF supporters clashed with ANC supporters.
Initial reports were that police fired stun grenades at supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in St George's Mall.
A few bystanders managed to rescue an elderly tourist couple who had gotten caught up in the chaos and were desperate to simply make it back to the Adderley Hotel where they were staying.
Elsewhere in the city, police rallied to force protesters back down Adderley Street and into Darling Street in the direction of the Grand Parade and away from the Parliamentary precinct.
A crowd had also been hemmed in between Plein Street and City Hall by police armoured vehicles as security forces moved to prevent any groupings reaching the perimeter of Parliament.
Ahead of the SONA, city authorities had given permission for three marches to take place at various points in the city. The Ses'Khona People's Rights Movement, the opposition Democratic Alliance and supporters of the #ZumaMustFall movement had all been granted permission to stage marches, however, several other groups including the EFF and the Western Cape ANC had all gathered in the CBD on Thursday.
African News Agency and Reuters
EFF members and leader @Julius_S_Malema making a dramatic entrance at #SONA16 @EconFreedomZA pic.twitter.com/vhMn4VIJa0
— MojoIOL (@mojoIOL) February 11, 2016
EFF members in the gallery serenading their colleagues on the floor #SONA2016 @IOL @mojoIOL @AfriNewsAgency pic.twitter.com/IDx9qcOS5l
— chris borain (@cebastian) February 11, 2016