KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi was whisked away by security forces when violence broke out between IFP and ANC supporters during a government event in Estcourt on Saturday.

The pandemonium erupted at a stadium in Ward 21 in Estcourt when IFP and ANC supporters found themselves in one marquee on the eve of a by-election. They exchanged blows and threw chairs at each other.

One man in the fighting groups was seen pulling out his gun but later put it back in its holster without firing.

IFP supporters allege that Sithole-Moloi used a government event to campaign for votes ahead of this week's by-election to determine who rules the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality. Sithole-Moloi was in the area to inspect various water and electricity infrastructure programmes.

Estcourt is notorious as a hotspot for political violence and intolerance in the province, especially between ANC and IFP supporters.

The by-elections come after the IFP, which runs Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality, fired three ward councillors accused of allegedly taking bribes from the ANC to unseat its mayor, Mduduzi Myeza.

The mayhem reportedly began when ANC supporters came to the event wearing their party regalia even though it was announced as a government event.

IFP supporters then arrived in their party colours, too.

A video that has gone viral on social media shows both sides attacking each other with no police to be seen.

KZN IFP chairperson Thami Ntuli said the ANC government in the province should take responsibility for turning a government event into an electioneering platform.

Attempts to get comment from provincial Cogta spokesperson Senzo Mzila drew a blank as his phone rang unanswered and messages sent to him were not responded to.