Two councillors were seriously injured in the scuffle, where ANC members allegedly hurled glasses at DA council leaders after attempting to intimidate the speaker and other members.

The DA, ACDP, AIC, EFF, UDM and PA have come together to condemn the ANC for their horrific criminal acts in NMB council today. pic.twitter.com/QDtLkkngty — Kris (@KristoffDJ) October 27, 2016

ANC councillors allegedly attacked DA council leaders in the #NMB

Photos: Supplied pic.twitter.com/cT9mqYrAGY — Alex Sweet Patrick (@IamAlexSweet) October 27, 2016

DA councilor in NMB after being attacked by ANC councilor with a glass jug in council meeting. ANC has lost the plot. pic.twitter.com/H9mirQbhOS — Jacques Maree (@JacquesMaree73) October 27, 2016

In NMB’s council ANC cllr’s used glass jugs to assault others, smashing them into councillors’ faces, leaving two hospitalised. #ANCviolence pic.twitter.com/NTujK2ineA — Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) October 27, 2016

Mayor Athol Trollip described to News24 what had happened:

“The city manager asked two councillors to leave, they were in breach of a number of regulations. They refused to do that. They refused to leave when the city manager and security asked them to leave.

At that stage two councillors, councillors [Makhi] Feni and councillor [Andile] Lungisa, approached the speaker’s table. They went up with the intention to intimidate and even assault the speaker. There is footage of one of those councillors assaulting a member of the mayoral committee member [Kayser] with a glass jug, a big heavy glass jug,” Trollip said, adding that other ANC councillors threw glasses at members inside the chamber.

“I want to say that this must be the lowest point in the history of this council. I want to say that having shots fired means we cannot reach lower depths. I have no doubt that if shots had not been fired into the ceiling, what would have ensued would have been much worse than what we saw this afternoon.”

The ANC’s Gift Ngqondi, however, said the shot was fired by chief whip Werner Senekal and that the party would be pressing charges. Trollip denied this being the case, saying a full investigation is underway and will soon expose the truth.

“The shot was not fired by chief whip Werner Senekal. There is an investigation. The round cartridge is available and will identify which firearm it came from,” he said, adding that Senekal didn’t even have a firearm, but was stabbed in the back during the tussle.

“One of the ANC councillors was seen with a knife in the council chamber. We do not bring firearms to council. We don’t bring weapons to council,” Trollip said.

Since the DA took control of three of the country’s major metros there have been instances of the ANC attempting to either stall proceedings or completely disrupt council meetings in the municipalities they no longer run, with the ruling party even suggesting placing Tshwane under provincial administration in order to regain control of it without the need for an election.