WATCH: Gun fired as EFF members clash with police

Despite the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) planned week-long shutdown at Clicks outlets being put to the sword by the Pretoria High Court after the retailer was granted an interdict, some members continued to protest, which has resulted in clashes with the police.

This comes in light of five suspects being arrested on a charge of malicious damage to property following an attack on a Clicks store at the Lemon Tree shopping centre in Alberton on Monday.

A number of videos have been circulating on social media with the protest turning violent on Thursday.

In Stellenbosch, a woman wearing an EFF T-shirt was seen being arrested by the police in front of a Clicks stores as she shouted to the officers to “stop touching her”.

In Stellenbosch, an EFF scumbag gets taken by the police.

“Stop touching me!”

???? pic.twitter.com/cSc8frY1uK

— Jerm (@mynameisjerm) September 10, 2020

While, a group of what seem to be EFF members were seen clashing with police in Norkem Mall, Kempton Park before retreating as what sounded like a gun firing at the end of the video.

#Clicks pic.twitter.com/jG0OPFpKZt

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 10, 2020

EFF leader Julius Malema met with Unilever South Africa representatives earlier as both parties came to an agreement that the TRESemmé advert, published on Clicks’ website, was offensive and racist.

TRESemmé commissioned a set of images which described white women’s hair as “fine and normal”, while that of black women as “dry and damaged”.

Both Unilever and TRESemmé have since apologised and the advert has since been removed. TRESemmé is a subsidiary of the consumer goods company.

The EFF confirmed in a statement that Unilever would withdraw TRESemmé products from all retail stores for a period of 10 days.

This comes after various retailers, including the Shoprite, Makro, Dischem and Pick n Pay, removed the hair products from their stores.

The party said Unilever would take disciplinary action against those remaining in the company in line with its policies.

The party added that the consumer goods company would also donate a minimum of 10,000 sanitary pads and hand sanitiser to informal settlements identified by the EFF.

“We have agreed to hold further discussions on transformation within Unilever relating to procurement, empowerment, employment equity and localisation.”

READ MORE: Apology is ‘meaningless’, Clicks must stock more African hair products, says Minister Ntshavheni

The Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Natasha Mazzone, expressed the party was disappointed after Clicks and the other retailers pulled TRESemmé products from their shelves.

“We do not believe that consumers and SMMEs, that form part of the value chain, should be punished in the process,” she said in a statement.

Meanwhile, another DA MP, Andrew Whitfield, has called the South African Police Service (SAPS) to arrest Malema on charges of incitement to violence and destruction of property following the protests.

Whitfield said on Tuesday that the DA would write to Minister of Police Bheki Cele, and National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole, to ask what steps they would be taking against the EFF’s actions.

“He must be urgently held responsible for the incitement of violence, malicious damage to property and intimidation.

“The EFF must be also be held liable for the damage and destruction to Clicks stores nationwide. No one is above the law!” he said in a video.

Why has SAPS not arrested Julius Malema?

He must be urgently held responsible for the incitement of violence, malicious damage to property and intimidation.

The EFF must be also be held liable for the damage and destruction to Clicks stores nationwide.

No one is above the law! pic.twitter.com/YEjLEAreOh

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) September 10, 2020

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