It took just 90 minutes; the Economic Freedom Fighters parliamentarians were evicted for raising points of order and privilege. EFF leader Julius Malema delivered the alternative state of the nation – right opposite the giant television screen playing out Zuma’s address to the assembled officials.

“This is a man who has not put the interests of South Africa first. This is a man who said the ANC comes first. He will address the ANC caucus and it’s DA (friends),” said Malema.

There was also something different happening in the public gallery. ANC Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte decided to bring some guests different from the usually politically-elected elite: former Hawks head, Anwa Dramat, suspended police watchdog Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head, Robert McBride and former South African Revenue Service Deputy Commissioner, Ivan Pillay, who resigned in the on-going controversy around the so-called rogue unit.

All three men have become embroiled, and ultimately fell foul of the intense politicking over control of their respective institutions to ensure, what observers pointedly describe as political pliancy. The Hawks, IPID and SARS have tackled prickly topics.

The Hawks reportedly looked into misspending at the presidential Nkandla homestead, although ultimately Dramat resigned in April 2015 amid allegations that he was involved in the illegal rendition of several Zimbabweans. IPID became embroiled in this matter – it had cleared the relevant Hawks officials – and secondary spider webs of political intrigues. SARS’s so-called rogue unit was linked amid Machiavellian manoeuvres from some quarters to non-tax matters, the outcomes of which have yet to unravel publicly amid a contested restructuring process.

But it wasn’t just Duarte whose selection of guests in what could be seen as a very public – and possibly pointed – reminder that old comrades remain appreciated, despite prevailing dominant political forces may deem to be appropriate.

Duarte told the Daily Maverick: “They are MK (uMkhonto we Sizwe) soldiers. These are people who fought for our revolution. The least I could do was to invite them to an opening of Parliament”.

Democratic South Africa’s first speaker Frene Ginwala brought along Lawson Naidoo, executive director of Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC), which has often been critical of how Parliament has conducted its business. Ginwala and Naidoo go back a long time; he worked for her while the democratic Parliament was establishing itself.

These guests – and others – must have wondered at the series of interruptions of points of orders and privilege. It was unusual. But not more so than what happened outside in the hours leading up to Zuma’s SONA.

Watch: SONA 2016 – Day of protests turns violent

Despite Parliament’s assurances in the run-up there would be no extra-ordinary or special measures taken for Thursday’s joint sitting, it quickly became clear that security was at unprecedented levels.

Uniformed police and plainclothes security forces abounded. There was a jam of MPs and their guests at the entrances to Parliament as security vetting through X-ray machines delayed entry. Then there were those dressed in bibs stating “ANC parliamentary protocol team”, in addition to naval officers acting as protocol officials. It has been confirmed from three different sources that parliamentary staff, who traditionally volunteer their time as protocol officials or ushers, were told “Thank you for volunteering, but no thanks” at a meeting earlier this week.

Whatever security plans were, they unravelled at the crucial moment. When the EFF was asked to leave the House, the new joint sitting parliamentary rules require them to be escorted off the precinct. Instead, they left unaccompanied from the main Parliament building to their offices in Marks Building. There from the top of the stairs, Malema held an impromptu media briefing. Those brought in for protocol and security stood listening and, in some cases, recording the alternative SONA on their cell phones for posterity. DM

Photo: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party leader Julius Malema speaks to journalists after being ordered to leave the parliamentary chamber during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address in Cape Town, February 11, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings