The Citizen (Gauteng)

EFF hurt those they claim to care for

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We wonder if the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has heard of the “law of unintended consequenc­es” and, if it has, whether it even cares. When the rabble rousers descended on the Smokehouse and Grill restaurant last week – dancing on the tables and singing – they were protesting about racist businesspe­rson Adam Catzevlos, whose family owns the business. Catzavelos sparked a storm after a video emerged of him on a beach in Greece, using the k-word as he expressed his joy about there being no black people around.

His family effectivel­y disowned him after the incident, removing his shareholdi­ng and dismissing him from their businesses.

This was not good enough for the EFF, who are known for grabbing any opportunit­y to do some political grandstand­ing.

According to the Catzavelos family, EFF members threatened restaurant staff during the protest, including surroundin­g a manager, brandishin­g steak knives they had picked up from the tables.

The result: the family has decided to close the business. Although poor trading conditions played a part on the decision, the EFF’s intimidati­on was the last straw which caused them to shut up shop and retrench all 29 staff. If you claim to care for poor people and workers, EFF, this is a strange way to show it.

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