Stun grenades fired on EFF amid surreal atmosphere at Parliament

Like the Winter Palace during the Russian Revolution‚ as stun grenades were fired two street blocks away and Cape Town’s main street‚ Adderley Street‚ was cordoned off by barbed wire‚ festivities and fashion continued to dominate in the parliamentary precinct.

An atmosphere of near unreality predominated - parliament protected by a cordon sanitaire of a few street blocks‚ enforced by a heavy security presence.

Police fired stun grenades at an EFF crowd carrying weapons near St George's Mall while ANC supporters on Adderley Street sang "The gun went off and it sounded so nice".

The DA unveiled a big banner proclaiming "Don't forget the 8‚3 million unemployed South Africans" from their offices on the third floor of the Marks Building in the parliamentary precinct.

The only party scorning the over the top fashion parade on the parliamentary red carpet was the EFF‚ whose members arrived at parliament in groups of two‚ wearing their trademark red workers' garb‚ looking glum.

Additional reporting by Aphiwe Deklerk

TMG Digital.