The opening of Parliament collapsed into chaos on Thursday evening, with a red sea of EFF MPs taking over proceedings and chanting "Zupta must fall".

"He [Zuma] has stolen from us," Malema shouted.

Leader Julius Malema was addressing the house without being recognised by both the house chairpersons Baleka Mbete and Thandi Modise saying that people have lost respect for President Jacob Zuma.

"We do not recognise him as our president. He is not our president," said Malema, before starting to chant "Zupta must fall, Zupta must fall."

He added, "You are prepared to remove a whole party which has been elected by the people... [to protect] one man."

Malema was speaking following the concession President Zuma's defense Advocate Jeremy Gaunlett made during the Constitutional Court hearing that Public Protector's remedial actions are binding.

He was also addressing Zuma after tried to make an out of court settlement in which he agreed to pay some of the money used for security upgrades at his Nkandla homestead.

All the Economic Freedom Fighter MPs then stood up, fists in the air, chanting with Malema.

As they left the chamber, one MP shouted, "When we come back next time, you will not be our president."

After they left, Zuma stood up as if nothing had happened, and continued with his speech.

"Zupta" is a reference to Zuma's close links with the influential Gupta family who secured an interdict against the EFF this week.
 

News24