Clicks suffers double-blow over racist ad
Court rejects interdict bid as protests continue
UNDER FIRE retailer Clicks said 425 EFF led-protests were reported at its stores as the party started a five-day national shutdown of its outlets over a racist advertisement, which has since been pulled from its website.
“At last count, 51 stores have closed in the Western Cape, 92 in KwaZuluNatal and the Eastern Cape, and 302 in Gauteng and elsewhere. Clicks strongly condemns violence of any kind, intimidation of staff and its customers and the vandalism of its stores. All incidents of criminal behaviour are being reported to the authorities.
“Clicks is working with the SAPS to ensure the safety of staff, customers and members of the public. Clicks is unable to estimate the total damage to stores given the ongoing protest action,” the group said in a statement.
As the shutdown was expected to enter its second day this morning, Clicks said it would continue to trade and monitor the situation.
This as EFF provincial chairperson Melikhaya Xego and three other party members were released after being arrested at Clicks in Van Der Stel Square in George yesterday for allegedly being in contravention of the Disaster Management Act.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said: “Public Order Police based in George arrested four men between the ages 28 and 42 years old in connection with the contravention of the Disaster Management Act (lockdown), by means of an illegal gathering as well as hindering the police in the execution of their duties.”
Yesterday’s planned demonstrations took place as Clicks unsuccessfully applied for an urgent high court interdict stopping protests at any of its stores. They were also ordered to pay costs.
The health and beauty retailer triggered the ire of South Africans over images on their website, which were slammed as prejudiced against natural black hair.
Clicks issued a public apology for the advertisement, which referred to images of a black women’s hair as “dry and damaged” or “frizzy and dull”, while white woman’s hair was “fine”, “flat” or “normal”.
The advert was part of a TRESemmé promotional campaign published on the Clicks website. Both companies have since apologised, with Clicks Group chief executive Vikesh Ramsunder saying he was “deeply disappointed that we allowed insensitive and offensive images to be published on our website”.
“The emotive responses of our customers have been mirrored by our employees and management teams. And, while the images and content were provided to us by our supplier, TRE
Semmé, this does not absolve us from blame. This is why we took accountability for this error of judgement by issuing a public apology and swiftly removing the offensive material from our website.
“Already, the negligent employees have been suspended, and we have engaged the supplier, who has now also issued an apology. This incident has highlighted the need to audit all of our third party (and our own) promotional material for any implicit or explicit bias, as well as the need for diversity and inclusivity training for all of our head office employees. This will be urgently implemented.”
But EFF provincial spokesperson Wandile Kasibe said they would continue with demonstrations throughout the country for the remainder of the week. EFF supporters in the Western Cape began their protest at the Goodwood N1 City mall branch, chanting revolutionary songs. Workers left through a back door.
A TV channel crew was chased away from the picket after getting involved in a verbal exchange with demonstrators.
The supporters later split up to close down other Clicks branches in Gugulethu, Mitchells Plain and the foreshore.
“Our message is clear: it cannot be business as usual for Clicks. Black people are angered by what they’ve done. It’s a legitimate anger,” Kasibe said.
Provincial chairperson Veronica Mente said Clicks’s apology was insufficient. “As they do not want to meet our demands in terms of publishing the names of racists who placed their racist advert on their website, we will continue to close down their stores,” she said.
“They don’t want to divulge the information and transform themselves in terms of their own management to have more black people who will be
sensitive and understanding of black lives and circumstances,” said Mente.
Reacting to Clicks’s failed court application, the EFF said the retailer made an “irrational and silly” attempt to stop them from practising their right to protest.
This comes as the SA Human Rights Commission announced that an investigation was under way into the matter and called for a meeting with Clicks.
“The commission has noted an apology from Clicks Group, noting the company’s disappointment at this advert and the hurt caused by it. The commission remains committed to understanding measures taken by Clicks to guard against such adverts in the future and other accountability and sensitivity measures the company intends to take going forward.
“The commission has also noted that the advert by Clicks has elicited strong emotions and protests from the general public. The commission supports the right to protest as envisaged in section 17 of the Constitution, and calls for South Africans to exercise this right in a peaceful manner,” the SAHRC said.
The SA Women Lawyers Association, a voluntary, non-profit and non-political organisation of female lawyers, said they were outraged over the Clicks’s advert.
Association general-secretary Mpho Kgabi said: “Their conduct could have not come at the worst time in September, when we are celebrating our heritage and teaching a girl child to embrace the beauty of their natural hair.”