Woolies display causes anger
HUNDREDS of years ago, black men from parts of Africa were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean and sold as slaves in America and Europe.
Their plight during these trying times when they were subjected to forced labour and even torture is well documented.Likewise, images of their owners binding the men together with rope or chains to restrict their movement and maintain control when they were travelling have been shared around the world.
Now, centuries later, resemblances of such slavery appear to have resurfaced, this time in a local Woolworths shop. The retail outlet again found itself embroiled in controversy when customers spotted a set of black male mannequins draped in ropes.
Images splashed over social media show the figures, clad in clothes from the ship’s summer collection, facing forward while the ropes loop over their shoulders and around their arms. This was brought to light when Facebook user Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha posted the picture of the display on the Woolworths SA Facebook page on Monday.
In a corresponding caption, he denounced it as “insulting to black customers and anyone who is a victim of slavery”.
Barbaric
He wrote: “I have a problem with the display of black dolls wearing your clothes with a rope on them in your stores.
“This depicts slavery and such display of this in your shop suggests you promote such barbaric act against humanity.
“Please remove this rope on these black dolls with immediate effect.”
This sparked condemnation when scores weighed in on the debate on Twitter, resulting in #Woolworths trending for most of yesterday.
@nimrodmzakes posted: “Dear Woolworths your display is disturbing to an African child.” This was echoed by @iamzinto who also accused the retail giant of being ignorant. He posted: “Black history matters, perfect example is this woolworths pic going around. If they knew better they wouldn’t have done it. #blackhistory.”
Woolworths SA has since apologised and said the display was a Christmas decoration gone wrong. “The ropes are in fact supposed to support Christmas baubles and unfortunately the store installation team have used the ropes incorrectly. The offending display has been rectified.”
The retailers also took to Twitter and Facebook and tried to apologise individually to those who lodged complaints against the display.
But the apology was not accepted by many, who said they would stop shopping at the store.
@buyblackday tweeted: “As black people, we’ve be taken for a ride for far too long. It’s time that we exercise our buying black power.”
Leading academic Professor Pitika Ntuli said that it was important for people to speak out against anything that resembled slavery or oppression.
“Any image that suggests slavery becomes repugnant and infringes on people’s dignity and sense of self,” he said.