Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille is expected to visit the volatile town of Sterkspruit in the north of the Eastern Cape on Friday to engage with the community on what it needs to turn its situation around. 

Sterkspruit has been on the news lately with a series of violent protests that resulted to the total shutdown of the town and the death of a teenage boy in a clash between the police and protestors early in February.

The community of Sterkspruit has been calling for a stand alone municipality, breaking away from the ANC run Senqu Municipality which they accuse of neglecting their town.

The February protests went out of control with residents going on a rampage pelting passing cars with stones, looting shops and barricading roads with burning tyres.

However the violent protests died down after a visit by Co-operative Governance and  Traditional Affairs Minister, Richard Baloyi who made it clear to the community that he does not have the powers to grant them their wish of a stand alone municipality pointing them to the Demarcation Board.

 It’s not yet clear what DA leader, Helen Zille brings to the table for this community, but is expected to take full advantage of the anti-ANC sentiments that were expressed by many during the violent protests.

For more details go to http://www.sabc.co.za