Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma abided “very well and precisely” to policy set out by the ANC and government, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said after the opening of parliament.

“The work that took place, if you follow our 8 January statement, to the lekgotla, all that is covered very well and precisely in the State of the Nation address,” he said.

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Johannesburg – Protest and violence overshadowed President Jacob Zuma‘s State of the Nation address on Thursday night as the Economic Freedom Fighters carried out a threat to confront him on misspending on his Nkandla home and were manhandled by police in the National Assembly.

As riot police dragged EFF MPs out of the chamber and down the corridor, the Democratic Alliance walked out and accused the ANC of becoming as oppressive as the apartheid regime.

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Cape Town – Questions remain over the security personnel sent in to forcibly remove EFF MPs from the National Assembly.

Clad in white shirts and black pants, the men – whom EFF MPs alleged were armed – moved in through both entrances of the National Assembly just as Speaker Baleka Mbete ordered that EFF leader Julius Malema and his fellow MPs vacate the House.

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Cape Town – Parliament should take stern action against members of the Economic Freedom Fighters who disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s state-of-the-nation address, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said on Thursday night.

“Such behaviour and conduct cannot and must not be tolerated and we urge Parliament to apply the rules and take stern action against those members,” Radebe said at a media briefing held shortly after Zuma ended his speech.

“The government of the Republic of South Africa is deeply disappointed and disgusted at the despicable conduct of some elected public representatives who are hell-bent on holding our democratic institutions, the electorate and our country at ransom.”

The National Assembly descended into chaos and violence when EFF MPs refused to leave the chamber when National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete order them to.

Mbete ordered the legislature’s protection officers to enter the chamber, adding “the security forces must come in in terms of the powers and privileges act”.

The security officers clashed with the EFF MPs who tried to stand their ground.

EFF leader Julius Malema was one of the last to be dragged out of the House after fist fights broke out between party members and the security officers.

Radebe said the actions of Malema and his MPs were aimed at rendering Parliament ungovernable.

“The events that unfolded before our eyes…were aimed at bringing our hard-earned democracy into serious disrepute,” he said.

“People of this great land died for this great democracy. Their actions… dishonour the lives of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”