EFF MPLs and supporters used their hardhats to beat up security personnel who had been instructed to eject MPLs for wearing their trademark red overalls to the Eastern Cape legislature on Tuesday.

All hell broke loose when speaker Helen Sauls-August instructed sergeant-at-arms, Thembekile Mzantsi to summon security to remove EFF MPLs who had refused to leave the house.

Sauls-August had instructed EFF MPLs to leave the house, saying they were not dressed properly.

EFF members and supporters who had been sitting in the public gallery entered the chambers and assaulted the security personnel.

DispatchLIVE shot footage as fists and punches flew and there was blood shed as the violence broke out. Some security officers were seen with blood stains on their white shirts.

The sitting was meant to discuss premier Oscar Mabuyane’s state of the province address.

After EFF MPLs and party members eventually left the chambers, legislature staff were seen cleaning the blood off the floor. Because of the violence, the debate was delayed by more than an hour.