Fight erupts in South African parliament during President Jacob Zuma's speech (Photos)

South Africa's parliament turned to a battlefield as a violent brawl erupted between MPs during President Jacob Zuma's speech.

Dressed in red the members of the opposition EFF party attempted to disrupt his speech.

The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, shouted at Zuma as he attempted to deliver his State of the Nation annual address.

Malema said pointing at Zuma, who stopped reading his speech and took his seat as the house descended into a shouting match.

 "Sitting in front of us here is a man who is incorrigible, an incorrigible man. Rotten to the core. And that has been found by the constitutional court," 

Malema also turned his ire on speaker Mbete, telling her: “Your conduct has failed you. You are irrational, impatient, partisan.”

Following this, members of the party were forcibly removed with one man being hauled from the chamber.

Zuma, head of the ruling African National Congress party, appeared unbothered by the violence unfolding in the national assembly and finally took to the podium with his trademark chuckle.

[AFP/Reuters]