Cabinet says it considers the hair advertisement published on Clicks’ website to be “profoundly offensive and racist” but welcomed the corrective measures put in place by the Clicks Group.
“Cabinet has noted with great concern an extremely disturbing advertisement published on the Clicks website, which justifiably triggered widespread public outrage,” said spokesperson Phumla Williams.
“Black hair has been the subject of intense politicisation and a source of unjust discrimination in our recent history. Our nation’s history is littered with laws and societal norms that equated ‘blackness’ and the associated physical traits – for example, dark skin, kinky and curly hair – to a badge of inferiority,” she added
Phumla Williams continued by saying that Cabinet welcomed the corrective actions taken by Clicks.
“These include their commitment to work with government to promote local products in all their stores and to collaborate with all their suppliers to promote the constitutional values as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. They will also put in place a diversity and inclusion training programme for all their managers and staff.”
Cabinet called for the advertising agencies of Clicks and other stores to also adopt tangible programmes which promote and protect human rights, and raise awareness about despicable issues of racism, inequality and discrimination.