Durban – THE Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said the knock-on effect of acts of vandalism and intimidation against health and beauty retailer Clicks were not only detrimental to the company, but also to the country’s economy.
Clicks said protest action by the EFF had been reported at 425 of its stores in South Africa, with 92 stores closed in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, 51 in the Western Cape and more than 200 in Gauteng and elsewhere.
At least seven stores were damaged. The EFF on Sunday vowed to shut down Clicks stores amid anger at a haircare advert which negatively portrayed natural black hair.
Clicks and TRESemmé apologised for the advert and it was taken down.
However, the EFF said the retailer lacked remorse, and wanted those responsible to be named and dismissed for the advert.
The advert, which appeared on the Clicks website, was part of a hair-care campaign by TRESemmé and labelled natural black hair as “Damaged” and white hair as “Normal”.
DCCI chief executive Palesa Phili said it was disturbing to note video footage of law-enforcement officers seemingly not taking action against vandals, and called on the authorities to look into this.
Phili said inflammatory language had the potential to inflict more damage on Clicks as well as its neighbouring businesses and shopping centres.
She said this would threaten job security for thousands of South Africans.
“The Durban Chamber does not wish to see any jobs being lost as a result of vandalism as our country is already haemorrhaging economically,” said Phili. She also expressed her disappointment in the marketing materials issued by TRESemmé.
“There is, quite simply, no place for racially inflammatory messages and images that serve to add social stress to the fragile environment in which South Africans are already wrestling with the ongoing effects of Covid-19 and load shedding,” she said.
In KZN, Durban and Pinetown stores were all closed by EFF members who vowed to keep the stores closed for the rest of the week.
Members of the EFF from the Inter Sub West region, who protested outside the Clicks at the Pinecrest Centre in Pinetown yesterday, said they were not happy with the retailer’s apology and called for the company to take action.
EFF ward 19 chairperson Jackson Dlamini said the store closed peacefully and staff left just after 8am.
He said the police were there to monitor the protest, then left.
Dlamini said they would be at the store every day this week until Clicks met the EFF’s demands.
“We don’t want Clicks to just apologise, we want action. Actions speak louder than words,” he said.
Clicks said it provided a much-needed health-care service and would continue to trade.
“Clicks strongly condemns violence of any kind, intimidation of staff and its customers and the vandalism of its stores. All incidents of criminal behaviour are being reported to the authorities. Clicks is working with the SAPS to ensure the safety of staff, customers and members of the public,” it said.
The retailer said it was unable to estimate the total damage to stores given the ongoing protest action.
In an open letter issued yesterday, Clicks Group chief executive Vikesh Ramsunder said he was deeply disappointed that insensitive and offensive images were allowed to be published on their website. He said two negligent employees had been suspended.
“As a company, we cannot change what happened, but we are learning from this. We are committed to effecting real, systemic change across our business that reflects our pride in being a truly South African company.”
The EFF condemned any acts of violence at the Clicks stores and said a court application brought by the retailer to stop the protests had been dismissed.
However Clicks did not confirm this yesterday.
EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo said the violence at Clicks stores was not associated with the party.
He said the protests were conducted peacefully and lawfully.
“The Queenstown incident has been brought to our attention and we have dealt with it swiftly and accordingly,” he said.
Pambo said protests would continue over the next five days, to ensure that no Clicks store operated until their demands were met.
DA spokesperson on police Andrew Whitfield called on SAPS to take immediate action.
“We recognise the upset and anger the Clicks advert has caused to many South Africans however the EFF’s violent response is unacceptable and SAPS has a duty to act.”
The Mercury