[imagesource: Southcoastmall.co.za]

UPDATE: A Clicks store at Saveways Centre in Emalahleni (Witbank) has been petrol-bombed, with management confirming the incident.

See the bottom of this story for updates…

It’s fair to say that Clicks had a shocker last week.

In case you’re somehow playing catch-up, an advertisement for hair products was removed from the retailer’s site, after screenshots were circulated on social media.

The ad labelled white hair ‘normal’ and ‘fine and flat’, whereas the images featuring black hair were described as ‘dry and damaged’. and ‘frizzy and dull’.

Not the retailer’s finest work, is it?

These images were posted by Twitter user @pelomasebe, and taken from the ad, which has since been removed:

Please don’t try and justify the above by saying ‘normal’ and ‘fine’ refer to the hair’s health, or some nonsense, because you’re missing the point.

The current Miss Universe, South Africa’s own Zozibini Tunzi, was also up in arms, quote tweeting the images above and adding the following:

Not only is this disrespectful to black lives, it is also evidence of an absence of representation and diversity within the organization. And we are talking about a South Africa with a population of about 80% black people (stand to be corrected). No ways💔 @Clicks_SA https://t.co/HWtfH40HCY

— Zozibini Tunzi (@zozitunzi) September 4, 2020

Therein lies the kicker.

Given how many people usually have to approve an advert before it goes live on the site, how did nobody pick up on this?

More than likely, because there is a lack of diversity in the department that signs off on these things, or because employees are fearful of raising their concerns.

As the online condemnation grew, Clicks issued these apologies via its Twitter account:

We would like to issue an unequivocal apology. We have removed the images which go against everything we believe in. We do not condone racism and we are strong advocates of natural hair. We are deeply sorry and will put in place stricter measures on our website.

— Clicks (@Clicks_SA) September 4, 2020

We have made a mistake and sincerely apologise for letting you down. We recognise we have a role to play in creating a more diverse and inclusive S.A, starting with our website content. We know we need to do better, and commit to ensuring our content better reflects this value.

— Clicks (@Clicks_SA) September 4, 2020

Clicks Group CEO Vikesh Ramsunder also issued a personal apology, and outlined what measures the retailer has taken to remedy their error.

Here’s part of that statement via EWN:

The emotive responses of our customers have been mirrored by our employees and management teams. And, whilst the images and content were provided to us by our supplier Tresemme, this does not absolve us from blame. This is why we took accountability for this error of judgment by issuing a public apology and swiftly removing the offensive material from our website…

Already, the negligent employees have been suspended, and we have engaged the supplier, who has now also issued an apology. This incident has highlighted the need to audit all of our 3rd party (and our own) promotional material for any implicit or explicit bias as well as the need for diversity and inclusivity training for all of our head office employees. This will be urgently implemented.

Over the past weekend, we have convened an extraordinary Board meeting to agree our next steps. This includes prioritising our diversity and inclusion training programme. We will be re-looking at its content, extend it wider and implement with more urgency and focus.

Read the statement in full here.

If you know anything about South Africa’s points-scoring political landscape, you’ll know that of course, the EFF came out swinging.

Stealing from South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens is fine, but racist adverts won’t cut it.

This from TimesLIVE:

In a statement on Sunday, the EFF said that it had written to Clicks with “direct demands in order to remedy their racist act” and had given it 24 hours to respond but was not satisfied by the company’s response, calling  it condescending and lacking in remorse.

“If Clicks does not close, our members in all branches will shut down all 800 Clicks outlets across the country from Monday September 7 2020 to Friday September 11 2020,” the EFF said.

The party said that the company needed to shut down for five days because, it claimed, the apology it issued was not genuine.

Juju with this:

@Clicks_SA see you tomorrow. Fellow fighters and ground forces; ATTACK!!!

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) September 6, 2020

Never mind that the majority of the people who work at Clicks, behind the counter and on the store’s floors, are people of colour, who would lose a day of work if stores were shut down.

Management, and the marketing department, won’t be anywhere near a store.

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, when addressing this fact, said the following in a statement, reported by News24:

The protests have impacted many Clicks workers’ ability to go to work as some stores have closed as a result.

But Shivambu said these workers will be “unfortunate collateral”.

“The employees of Clicks must know that after this action, they are going to benefit forever because this management will start respecting black people by force,” Shivambu said.

He added, “the employees of Clicks must rest assured that after our action they are going to benefit from this”.

I’m not sure Clicks employees can put food on the table, and pay their bills, with “unfortunate collateral”.

Despite the threats, Clicks has said today will be business as usual:

Clicks Trading Monday 07 September 2020 pic.twitter.com/XA453poHU6

— Clicks (@Clicks_SA) September 6, 2020

Looks like the EFF is giving it a good shot, anyway:

We are offering free services to clicks with our own keys #shutdownclicks ⁦@EFFSouthAfrica⁩ pic.twitter.com/pxmvboNjqL

— collensedibe (@collensedibe) September 7, 2020

#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

Clearly, the powers that be at Clicks need to make changes, and hopefully, this will spur them into meaningful action.

At the same time, the EFF will continue to use this opportunity to threaten and intimidate Clicks, the brand, by taking it out on the employees who have absolutely nothing to do with the marketing material uploaded to the site.

UPDATE: TimesLIVE reports that a Clicks store at Saveways Centre in Emalahleni (Witbank) has been petrol-bombed, with management confirming the incident.

AND SO IT STARTS!!! CLICKS STORE WITBANK PETROL BOMBED. pic.twitter.com/h6sIeY4NTR

— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) September 7, 2020

EFF members were also filmed at a nearby mall:

The situations at Clicks at Highveld Mall in Witbank. Shops have closed their doors as the EFF crowd has descended onto the mall. @TimesLIVE #ShutdownClicks pic.twitter.com/vYxDLbCsKn

— Naledi (@Naledi_Mailula) September 7, 2020

This from Goodwood Mall in Cape Town:

Members of the EFF block the entrance of Clicks in Goodwood Mall, Cape Town after after ‘racist’ advert @TimesLIVE @Clicks_SA @EFFSouthAfrica @EFF pic.twitter.com/E6Dbci5iKm

— Esa Alexander (@ezaap) September 7, 2020

News24 also has a running summary of the various shutdowns and protests.

[sources:timeslive&ewn]