Chaos erupts outside S. African Parliament before Zuma's address

Chaos erupted outside Parliament on Thursday as police used water cannons to disperse protesters just before President Jacob Zuma is about to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

A heavy contingent of police force were on standby with armored shields as MPs and dignitaries began arriving for the festivities ahead of Zuma's address.

Several opposition MPs were seen manhandled by police. Marius Redelinghuys, MP of the Democratic Alliance (DA), has been arrested in a street leading to Parliament for "enquiring why DA members were being moved by SAPS (South African Police Service)", the DA tweeted.

Several other DA MPs have also been arrested, the party said.

As tension was rising, supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) defied police orders and continued their protest outside Parliament. On nearby streets, some EFF supporters were blocked by police from going to the Parliament precinct.

"Military police are now being stationed on the streets leading to Parliament; relative calm on streets. Choppers circle overhead, " tweeted Jerusha Raath, a reporter of News24.

The EFF has threatened to disrupt Zuma when he delivers the SONA if he fails to answer questions on how to pay back the money spent on security upgrades at his private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu- Natal Province, a project which allegedly cost 246 million rand (about 22 million US dollars) in public funding.

The ANC has vowed to throw EFF MPs out of Parliament if they disrupt Zuma. Enditem