Parliament dissolved into near chaos on Thursday night as parliamentarians from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were removed with unprecedented levels of violence.
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Punches were thrown, seemingly from the EFF MPs themselves, while the notorious white shirts pushed back with high levels of force, in Parliament ahead of President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address.
In 2015 EFF MPs were at the receiving end of forceful treatment for the first time by the so-called "white shirt" parliamentary security when they were thrown out of the chamber after their disruptions that year. In 2016 they were removed promptly within 10 minutes with minimal fuss. This year's violence however far exceeded that of previous years.
The official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), stood up to object and were shouted down and sworn at, with swear words heard. They walked out shortly afterwards. A remark could be heard in Zulu saying: "The dogs must get out."
Before the forceful removal, a screaming match ensued.
"We are abused by Zuma!" EFF leader Julius Malema spat back at Speaker Baleka Mbete's contention he was abusing the chamber. Then he got personal. "He used you, and he dumped you."
Mbete responded: "If you are not going then we have no option... but to ask the parliamentary protection services to come and assist you, or to persuade you, to leave the house." More than an hour into the proceedings, the EFF were forced out followed shortly by the DA.
Zuma deployed an unprecedented number of soldiers on the occasion of his State of the Nation Address (Sona), amid criticism from the public, civil society and the opposition.The move came against the backdrop of threats by the EFF, the third biggest party in parliament, to disrupt proceedings.
Zuma appeared rattled when he finally began speaking, over an hour after he was due to speak. But he chuckled and even made a jibe about the coughs in the chamber from remaining MPs, in Zulu, saying: "It got you too," possibly referencing the pepper spray that was used in the chamber.