EFF set to shut down Clicks stores nationwide on Monday

The health and beauty retailer came under fire on Friday for labelling black people’s hair as “dry, damaged, frizzy and dull” and white people’s hair as “normal” in an ad campaign. 

Clicks has since apologised for the widely circulated imaged. 

But EFF spokesperson Delisile Ngwenya has slammed the retailer for the prejudice show in the campaign. 

“The Economic Freedom Fighters calls for the closure of all Clicks stores in South Africa in light of their unrepentant and perverse racism. Clicks participated in the public dehumanising of black people through an advert which presented the hair of black women as damaged in comparison to white hair which is described as normal.

“The implications of this are that black identity exists as inferior to the identity of white people. It is an assertion that white standards of beauty are to be aspired to and the features of black people represent damage, decay and abnormality.” 

Ngwenya says the apology issued by Clicks was substandard.  

“We, therefore, call on all Clicks branches to close and must only open on Saturday 12 September. This is because we are of the view that they are not genuine with their apology and the only way to make capitalists apologise and feel genuine remorse is for them to lose money. 

“If Clicks does not close our members in all the branches will shut down all 880 Clicks outlets across the country from Monday 7 September to Friday 11 September.” 

The party’s leadership is expected to be deployed at major outlets to force the retailer's doors closed.