Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will be gathering at various Clicks stores on Monday morning to shut down the outlets following a racist advert on its website.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members gather at a Clicks store at Thabong mall in Sebokeng on 7 September 2020 to protest the use of a racist advert on its website. Picture: EWN
JOHANNESBURG – Clicks Group CEO Vikesh Ramsunder said that while it could not bow to threats from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), it would not hesitate to close stores if the situation became violent.
The red berets will be gathering at various Clicks stores on Monday morning to shut down the outlets following a racist advert on its website.
READ: Clicks CEO’s apology over offensive hair ad
#Clicks EFF members have started to gather at some stores. Here some members are already at the Thabong mall in Sebokeng. pic.twitter.com/d6GBhWnCI3
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 7, 2020
The racist campaign referred to black women’s natural hair as “damaged, dry and frizzy” while depicting a white woman’s hair as normal.
Ramsunder said that they would keep their customers and staff safe.
“If there’s picketing or unrest around our stores, we will close our doors. It’s very important that our employees are protected. We certainly cannot bow to threats and violence. It’s not acceptable in any democracy.”
Meanwhile, the EFF’s Marshall Dlamini said that they would not be backing down.
“We are going to the ground, we are going to close all the stores. That is a directive of the EFF. We are going to close the doors of Clicks today, that’s what’s going to happen when we arrive. There’s no Clicks store that’s going to trade today, it’s guaranteed.”
Clicks has said sorry but the EFF has rejected the apology, saying that the only way the company would learn was if its lost out on revenue.