08 September 2020 - Beauty ad sparks protests in South Africa
South Africa's Clicks beauty stores raided after 'racist' hair advert
(BBC News, 07/09/2020)
Protesters have forced several stores of a South African health and beauty company to close, after it ran a hair advertisement they deemed racist.
The Clicks advert had pictures of African hair labelled dry, dull and damaged, while an example of white hair was described as fine and flat.
Opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called the advert "racist" and "dehumanising".
Its leader Julius Malema called for all Clicks stores to be closed.
South African far left targets pharmacies in racism row over advert
Jason Burke (The Guardian, 07/09/2020)
Protesters from a far-left party damaged pharmacies in South Africa on Monday and forced others to close during demonstrations over what they said was a racist advertisement.
The advert showed an image of African black hair which it described as “dry and damaged”, while an example of white hair was referred to as “fine and flat”. It was posted on the website of the Clicks chain of pharmacies on Friday, and removed the same day after uproar on social media. The firm apologised.
On Monday, protesters led by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) demanded Clicks stores across South Africa be shut for at least a week. Some, wearing the party’s trademark red hard hats and overalls, gathered outside Clicks stores and sang songs associated with the decades-long struggle to overthrow the apartheid regime in South Africa.
IN FULL | Open letter from Clicks Group CEO Vikesh Ramsunder
(The World News, 07/09/2020)
Clicks has come under fire from the EFF and many other South Africans over a 'racist' advert for hair products.
Clicks Group CEO Vikesh Ramsunder penned an open letter on Monday, apologising for the hurt and anger ignited by a hair advert that saw some stores trashed and others closed as protests swept across the country.
SAHRC intervenes in Clicks hair row
Naledi Shange (Sunday Times, 08/09/2020)
The SA Human Rights Commission wants to meet Clicks officials to get a better understanding into the health and beauty retailer's publication of an advertisement on its website that appeared to demean African hair.
The advertisement, which ran on its website last week, showed a black woman’s hair and described it as being “dry, damaged, frizzy and dull” against that of a white woman's hair, which is described as “colour-treated, fine, flat and normal”. The advert caused huge outrage with the EFF on Monday taking action against Clicks by shutting down several of its branches across the country.
The SAHRC said it had since launched its “own-initiative investigation” into this matter.