The infighting within the African National Congress (ANC) is spreading and has dragged innocent people into violent situations, Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Athol Trollip said on Friday,

His remarks were in reference to a bloody brawl during a council sitting in Nelson Mandela Bay on Thursday.

“I have on numerous occasions requested the ANC’s provincial and regional leadership to stop their members and Councillors from engaging in disruptive and aggressive behaviour before people got hurt, but to no avail,” said Trollip, who leads the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape.

“The paucity of leadership in this broken organisation is endemic, and is starting to spread like a cancer, dragging innocent people into horrible and violent situations.”

Trollip said the ANC has “totally lost its way”, by resorting to acts of extreme violence, intimidation and thuggery.

“This matter is being investigated by the South African Police Service and the same will be done by the Speaker’s Office. Those responsible will be held to account and will face the full might of the law.”

The ANC had apparently objected strongly to an item on the so-called green paper, which it said was confidential and not open to the public.

The meeting descended into violence with ANC and DA members involved in a brawl. The council chambers turned into a conflict zone – objects were thrown, a gun was fired and glass jugs were broken.

In the ensuing melee DA Chief Whip Werner Senekal was stabbed with a sharp object.

Mayoral committee member for Roads and Transport, Rano Kayser, was injured and bled profusely. Pictures of Kayser in a bloodied shirt were posted on social media.

ANC councillor Rosie Damons was in shock after a security guard fired a shot into the ceiling.

Kayser and Damons were carried out of the chambers on stretchers and taken to hospital.

Police were then called to defuse the situation.