Defence minister visits Eastern Cape election hotspot

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, was visiting Sterkspruit in the North Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

Sterkspruit has been identified as an election hotspot in the province.

Correspondent Sharon Salmon says there's a heavy police and military presence at the town, where residents under the banner of the civic organisation, have been campaigning for their own municipality.

Salmon says its eerily quiet in Sterkspruit where the Sterkspruit Civic Association has called for an election boycott.

Meanwhile The Sterkspruit Civic Association says its call for an election boycott appears to be heeded by local residents.

The Association has been campaigning for their own municipality, saying they no longer want to be part of the Senqu Municipality, which is alleges is corrupt.

Residents protests have at times led to clashes with the police and the identification of the town as a hot-spot.

A large police and army presence is in the town where voting appears to be going quite slowly.

Mcebisi Mgojo of the Sterkspruit Civic Association says today is a sad day for them.