Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe, says Parliament should take stern action against members of the Economic Freedom Fighters who disrupted President Jacob Zuma's
state-of-the-nation address on Thursday night.
Chaos ensued when EFF members demanding that Zuma answer questions in the Parliament were forcibly ejected from the Chamber by security officials, followed minutes later by an unprecedented walk-out by opposition parties.
Radebe said such behaviour and conduct cannot and must not be tolerated.
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.
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.
DA parliamentary leader, Mmusi Maimane blamed the chaos on the EFF and the ANC.
He said the Constitutional role of parliament had been undermined at a time when South Africa is in crisis.
Maimane said the real issues that matter to South Africans have been forgotten.
Cosatu has criticised the actions of the EFF.
Secretary-general, Zwelinzima Vavi, said it was correct to ask questions but unacceptable to disrupt proceedings.
He also criticised the jamming of cellphone signals.
Political analyst, Daniel Silke, says it was a bad night for South Africa, and an especially bad night for BRAND South Africa.
He was commenting after last night's chaos in parliament that preceeded President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address.
Before the President even started his speech, the DA called a point of order.
The party was upset about a device jamming cellphone signals in Parliament's precinct.
The E-F-F then demanded Jacob Zuma to pay back the money in regards to the Nkandla saga, and later some of the party's MPs were forcefully removed from the House...
Silke says these events have set a very dangerous precedent.
