EFF takes on Clicks over controversial advertisement, demands stores closure for 5 days

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has outlined their demands for Clicks Pharmacy stores, saying corrective steps need to be taken over a controversial online advertisement.

The EFF says they want to highlight their issues with the advert across the country by protesting outside Clicks stores this week.

The EFF claims that labelling the hair of black women as “dry and damaged” undermines the dignity of black people.

Malema was speaking at Mall of the North in Limpopo. “We are no longer going to accept any apology which is not accompanied by justice. Who is punished for projecting black people as ugly people? If you don’t want to close your shops Clicks, suspend the people who were involved in projecting black people as ugly. Fire the company that commissioned that advert that projected black people as ugly people.”

‘Pickets to continue throughout the week’

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu says if Clicks South Africa doesn’t back down and adhere to their demands, pickets outside all their stores will continue throughout the week.

Among the demands is that Clicks SA must reveal the names of those behind the controversial advert published by the company, causing an uproar on social media.

Shivambu is leading the Sandton City picket, North of Johannesburg. Shivambu addressed the media a little while ago.

“That basically says that black people’s hair is rubbish. We’ll never accept that. That is what colonialism did to our people for centuries. That is what slavery did to our people. So Clicks must take full responsibility and in the immediate, they must accede to our demands, then they’ll open and operate like any other store in all parts of South Africa, but today the action is very clear.”

Here’s how Shivambu addressed the media a little while ago:

Meanwhile, there’s a heavy police presence, including private security outside the store as SABC’s Natasha Phiri reports:

Clicks released a statement late Sunday night, saying it will be business as usual at all its stores in the country. That has angered the EFF further, saying the statement shows the extent of how arrogant clicks South Africa is when it comes to racial injustices in the country.

In Menlyn, Pretoria, a group of Freedom Fighters accompanying by the party’s Treasurer-General Omphile Maotwe forced Clicks store to shut its doors. Employees who came in early quickly closed the store and left as a handful of EFF members sung and danced in front of Clicks Menlyn.

Maotwe says they want Clicks stores to fall. “We are here because they refused to close. We’re coming here to assist them to close and we want them to close for the rest of the week, everywhere in the country, in all their 880 outlets in the country. So we are here. I am deployed here in Menlyn because I am here from Tshwane and therefore we are just making sure that Clicks is closed. We are going to be here for the rest of the day and for the rest of the week. So we are coming back tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because we want Clicks to fall. Clicks must fall because Clicks undermines black people.”

Protest in Cape Town

At Goodwood Mall in Cape Town, police had to intervene to stop the altercation between a cameraperson and EFF supporters. EFF National Chairperson, Veronica Mente, refused to be interviewed by members of the media in the presence of ENCA.

SABC’s Mariska Botha reporting earlier from Goodwood Mall: 

A Clicks store at the Cycad shopping centre in Polokwane, Limpopo, has been petrol-bombed. SABC’s Lutendo Bobodi reports: