Photo: A group of around 400 Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement members on Thursday demonstrated before the president’s address. They were protesting against the local DA government and at one point threatened a small group of Pan Africanist Congress members for making disparaging remarks about Zuma. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: The Ses’khona demonstration was later joined by student protesters, who police had to keep separate from the Ses’khona group. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: Closer to Parliament, a rally under the banner #ZumaMustFall marched through town chanting, yep, “Zuma must fall.” (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: Around 150 people joined the Zuma Must Fall march and the brief addresses focused on supporting a South African identity and the need for a leader to fight drugs abuse and crime. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: With demonstrations by different groups across the city, Public Order Police were out in full force, with nyalas, water canons ready and barbed wire rolled out on key streets. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: In preparation for the red carpet extravaganza, workers unroll coils of red rope at Parliament. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo:  The red carpet event was more subdued at SONA 2016 than in previous years, largely because the area became congested with guests waiting to pass through what appeared to be beefed-up security. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: Madonsela is assisted with the train of her dress. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo:  The DA’s Terri Stander waits to enter the National Assembly in front of the EFF’s Dali Mpofu. The EFF were the last members to enter the event, arriving singing together. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo:  This year’s SONA included the regular pomp and ceremony. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: Many of those waiting for the president however were distracted by the TV screens outside playing footage of the clashes between police and demonstrators outside. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: When Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and other judiciary leaders arrived at SONA on Thursday after delving into the Nkandla affair in the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, they were shown such respect that even the EFF stopped singing. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: President Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa did not walk the red carpet on Thursday. Instead they were driven to the House, with Zuma in white van. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota was the first MP on Thursday to interrupt the president’s address, bowing here to the Speaker when asked to leave the Chamber. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: While Zuma did not respond to the criticism raised from the floor, he did not look pleased at how long it took to restore order. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: EFF members repeatedly interrupted Zuma’s speech, with its different MPs continually raising points of order, one after another. When it was clear the Speaker would not listen, they chanted, “Zuptas must fall.”

Photo: The searjeant-at-arms walks to evict the EFF from the SONA address. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: EFF members left the event without having to be forcefully removed, likely a result of harsher rules that could have seen them suspended for the SONA debate. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: The ANC’s MKMVA leader Kebby Maphatsoe, Free State Premier Ace Magashule, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister David van Rooyen speak after the SONA address. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko leaves Parliament on Thursday. On Tuesday, Zuma’s lawyer admitted Nhleko’s report on Nkandla was not legally valid. (Greg Nicolson)

Photo: ANC MPs sing around Parliament’s bust of former president Nelson Mandela after Zuma’s address on Thursday. (Greg Nicolson)

Main photo: Public Protector Thuli Madonsela gave brief interviews outside Parliament on Thursday after her report into the president’s Nkandla home was the focus at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday. (Greg Nicolson)