The KwaZulu-Natal legislature descended into chaos on Monday afternoon after the motion of confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, which was brought by the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP), failed.
The chaos started shortly after the Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce, announced that the motion had failed.
The voting system had to be changed from a show of hands to saying those opposed to it should remain seated, and those in support should stand up.
Members of the provincial legislature from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), ANC, DA and the National Freedom Party (NFP) sat down to show their opposition and MKP and EFF members who were standing were counted as being in support.
As a result, the score was 41 against and 39 for the motion, and it failed.
Minutes after that announcement, angry members of the MKP verbally confronted and blocked Boyce from leaving her seat. She had to be escorted by the security team of the legislature to get out of the nasty situation.
MKP MPL, Mervin Dirkes, was seen popping a finger at Ntuli and shouting at him. That forced Ntuli’s bodyguards to shield him. They later whisked him out of the legislature.
After that, another scuffle ensued when the police were brought inside the legislature. Members of the MKP blocked it, and it led to a scuffle. On the sidelines, a female MPL of the EFF was seen repeatedly pelting the police with water bottles from a few minutes away.
