Clicks stores trashed
EFF members arrested: rampage over racist ad ‘
Five EFF members aged between 30 and 35 were arrested in Komani on Wednesday on charges of malicious damage to property in connection with the Clicks hair row.
They appeared in the Queenstown magistrate s court,
’ where they were released, while further investigations continue.
Clicks obtained a court order preventing EFF members from disrupting operations this week, as it re-opened stores on Thursday.
The backlash stems from a hair care advert which the EFF views as racist.
A senior executive responsible for the hair product advert has since resigned, an apology has been issued and the advert which was posted on Clicks website last week has
’ been removed.
Clicks issued a statement via its social Twitter page stating operations would continue as usual on Monday, after EFF leader Julius Malema s promise
’ to shut down all its stores for a week until corrective measures were taken.
Clicks failed to persuade a court to interdict the EFF from its nationwide anti-racism protest at the company s outlets on
’
Monday, which resulted in members of the EFF in the Chris
Hani region trashing two Clicks stores in Komani.
The EFF s response followed
’ social media uproar against the advert that described two black women s hair as dry, damaged,
’ “frizzy and dull ”, and two white women s hair as colour-treated,
’ “fine, flat and normal ”.
EFF supporters then went on the rampage, storming into the Cathcart Road Clicks and trashing aisles before moving to the Nonesi Mall branch.
EFF provincial chair Yazini Tetyana led the red berets in their protest, with about 15 EFF supporters vandalising the store and shouting enough is enough
“with this racism ”.
Tetyana called for whoever was responsible for the advert to face jail time and labeled
“”
Clicks a racist brand ”.
“
We are against any element “that seeks to portray a certain group of people as inferior to others because SA does not have a place for racists.
We will continue with this
“programme for the whole week because we want the company to lose money for what they did,” she said.
Nonesi Mall customers ran out of the centre as EFF members arrived, with some shouting that there was a robbery.
Some senior citizens were shoved to the ground as people tried to run out, causing a minor stampede at one of the entrances, but no-one was seriously injured.
Komani police spokesperson Capt Namhla Mdleleni confirmed the arrest of five people on charges of malicious damage to property, reported at the Mlungisi police station.