South African Parliament Fight over Jacob Zuma Heckling

South African opposition lawmakers have been ejected from parliament after trying to interrupt President Jacob Zuma’s speech.

Security officers were ordered to forcibly remove the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lawmakers as a brawl broke out in the parliament on May 17.

Two months ago, a court ruled Jacob Zuma violated the constitution by failing to pay back public money used on his mansion.

It is the second brawl in parliament this month.

Security guards were ordered by the speaker to eject the people who were being disruptive.

Guards surrounded the EFF lawmakers who were dressed in their trademark red boiler suits.

Objects, including bottles of water and a hard hat, were thrown as the guards tried to wrestle the lawmakers out of the chamber.

The EFF has denounced Jacob Zuma as an “illegitimate” ruler who should step down.

South Africa’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, ruled that Jacob Zuma had violated the constitution when he failed to repay government money used to upgrade his private home in the rural area of Nkandla.

In a second case, at the end of April, a court said that Jacob Zuma should be charged with corruption.

The case is related to a multi-billion dollar arms deal the government negotiated in 1999.

Jacob Zuma denies any wrongdoing, and says he will continue to “shepherd” the nation. His term is due to end in 2019.