People took to twitter expressing shock at the behaviour of those throwing rocks and broken bricks.

"Seems that all these #ANCYL twits are doing is making us look like idiots the world over," a twitter user wrote on the social networking site.

"If I was #Malema I would be worried about the size of the crowd and the calibre of my supporters #LuthuliHouse," wrote another user.

"If #Malema was concerned about the manner his supporters are behaving, he would call for calm. This riot is obviously ANCYL sanctioned."

"#malema #ancyl: if malema is allowed to calm things down he has anc by the balls. Anc must push through and the government must handle it.

"This ish just is not acceptable! As a leader he should make it clear to his followers that they can't act out like this! #Malema."

Another twitter user said Zuma, who was in Norway, should come back to South Africa.

"The President and his Deputy are out of the country. Could the Malema Faction in the ANC stage a coup d'juju? Or what? Come home Zuma!"

Malema supporters were burning African National Congress (ANC) flags, T-shirts and posters with President Jacob Zuma's face printed on them.

"Madiba,Tambo,Sisulu,ppl who worked so hard for our freedom just to have some idiots burn the ANC flag over their idiot leader!!!wow!#ANCYL," wrote a twitter user.

"This whole #ANCYL is totally F#*k'd! Seriously! Now its "kill Zuma", where it was "kill for Zuma"! Ai this country and its politics..."

"Surely it's tantamount to treason the burning of pictures of the President? #malema," wrote another user.

The ANC Youth League condemned the violence on Tuesday afternoon..

"The ANCYL strongly condemns and dissociates itself from the burning of ANC T-shirts with the face of President Zuma," it said in a statement.

"We... call on those who are here to support the leadership to exercise maximum discipline and do so in a peaceful manner, regard and respect to the ANC process."

Malema and his spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, league deputy president Ronald Lamola, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, his deputy Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer general Pule Mabe were all facing charges of bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing divisions in ANC ranks.

This was after Malema said the ANCYL would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change, as it believed the government there was "in full co-operation with imperialists" and undermining the "African agenda".

Malema is facing the ANC disciplinary committee on Tuesday.

Earlier, journalists on the scene at Beyers Naude square said they were being targeted by the ANCYL supporters, who made it clear they were not welcome.

"#Malema more riot police being called in. Photographer injured after rock hit him in the face AvW," an Eyewitness News reporter wrote on twitter [sic]," a reporter on the scene wrote on twitter

"Most of these Juju hooligans look drunk. Even one leaguer agrees: "These guys have been drinking all night". War zone...," said another reporter.

Five members of the media -including Sapa photographer Werner Beukes, two eNews journalists Belinda Moses and Cathy Mohlahlana, The Star photographer Boxer Ngwenya and Citizen photographer Michel Bega - were hit by rocks thrown by supporters of youth league leader Julius Malema.