Violent clashes broke out in parliament as South Africa opposition Economic Freedom Fighters tried for a third successive year to prevent President Jacob Zuma from delivering what was his final State of the Nation Speech.
The EFF members, sporting their red overalls or maids uniforms traded punches with security staff as they were manhandled from the house by security staff.
Guests of MPs in the public gallery were left weeping with pepper spray as the battle raged below between lawmakers who called President Jacob Zuma a constitutional delinquent and security staff.
The Economic Freedom Fighters maintain Zuma broke his oath of office by defying the public protector’s order to repay money taken from the public purse to pay for improvements to his private home.
Speaker Baleka Mbete has ordered an investigation of what she called an unacceptable security breach.
The opposition Democratic Alliance led by Mmusi Maimane also left the chamber.
He said the behavior of the ANC government was worse than that of apartheid leader P.W. Botha
When President Jacob Zuma eventually took to the podium after a 90 minute delay he spoke of the need for a radical economic transformation in South Africa to right the imbalance that existed 23 years after the dawn of democracy.
Zuma says less than five percent of property in South Africa is owned by blacks
He says government will use every means in its power to achieve this transformation.