Durban Chamber CEO condemns destruction of Clicks stores by EFF

FOLLOWING the public apology issued by Vikesh Ramsunder, CEO of Clicks, with regards to offensive Tresemme marketing material, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry strongly condemns the vandalisation of property and acts of intimidation against the retailer.

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CEO of the Chamber, Palesa Phili, said property has been damaged, lives of staff have been put at risk and, no doubt, financial losses have been incurred as a result of the violence. Most importantly, patients who depend on Clicks to fill their medication prescriptions have also been compromised at the affected sites.

“The knock-on effect of such actions are not only negative for the company but for the South African economy as a whole.

“It is disturbing to note video footage of law enforcement officers seemingly not taking action on those vandalising property and we urgently call on the South African Police Service and Metro Police officials to look into this. South Africans and South African businesses are depending on law enforcement to protect property and lives, to contain the situation and to bring the violence to a stop,” said Phili.

She said additionally, Chamber calls on the law to take swift and decisive action against any person criminally inciting the public to violent action. “Further inflammatory language has the potential to inflict more damage on Clicks as well as its neighbouring businesses and shopping centres, thereby threatening 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 haemmorhaging economically,” said Phili.

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At the same time, Phili said she must express the Chamber’s deep disappointment in the marketing material issued by Tresemme.

“There is, quite simply, no place for racially inflammatory messages and images that serve to add social stress to a fragile environment in which South Africans are already wrestling with the ongoing effects of Covid-19 and load shedding. Given the current economic challenges, social cohesion is imperative, and social partners, including corporates, need to pull together to avoid further economic losses and to build national morale. This marketing campaign has achieved the exact opposite,” she concluded.