Earlier on Saturday, EFF members were seen entering a series of H&M stores – including Sandton in Johannesburg and Century City in Cape Town – where they collapsed clothing racks and dismounted mannequins. Some were singing and dancing outside, while others were seen kicking products inside the stores.
The lituation at H&M in Sandton City rty now is heavy gyz 😲🙊 Like really heavy. The EFF is in action pic.twitter.com/bT4ZQZiySN
— Mpilonhle Trevor (@Travor_Mpilo) January 13, 2018
Floyd Shivambu, deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), says that Saturday’s trashing of H&M stores in a number of shopping malls across the country was a result of its racism.
[IMPORTANT NOTICE]: All the stores of that racist retailer @hmsouthafrica are CLOSED. Racism must fall and we will never tip toe around racists. pic.twitter.com/eqmw885k6X
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) January 13, 2018
Shivambu wrote on Twitter: “That H&M nonsense of a clothing store is now facing consequences for its racism. All rational people should agree that the store should not be allowed to continue operating in South Africa. Well done to Fighters who physically confronted racism.”
Earlier this week, the company was forced to apologise after their website featured a photo of a black child wearing a hoodie plastered with the phrase “coolest monkey in the jungleâ€. The advertisement sparked outrage on social media and the Swedish store apologised. However, many have claimed the backlash has been excessive, and the child’s own mother seems to agree, stating that the store didn’t intend racism and that people “should get over it.”
Yes, sure the H&M incident was no less than disgusting but there are still slaves in Libya. Yes, Slaves in 2018.
— Solam. (@SolamSigabi) January 13, 2018
The EFF’s actions were slammed on social media, with many questioning the logic behind the campaign. Some called it thuggery and foolishness. Others wanted to know if the EFF knew that poor black workers would have to clean up after the mess.
Where were the EFF protesters when Shoprite workers were on strike demanding better pay? Why did they not protest outside Shoprite stores & show solidarity with those workers. Yeah the H&M ad is a problem but c’mon, the Shoprite situation had a more direct impact on SA lives.
— Phil Mphela (@PhilMphela) January 13, 2018
You’re trashing South African H&M outlets where underpaid black South African staff will face your violence AND be expected to clean up, to “punish” H&M for a t-shirt that was sold online overseas???
Fuck off.— a very stable genius (@Neo_url) January 13, 2018
But there were EFF supporters who said that racism required drastic action.
Don’t tell the oppressed how to respond to oppression. The proletariat voice is not going to be comfortable for anyone. The criminal act is not the EFF RESPONDING to the racism of H&M. The criminal act is the consistent racism of H&M. Call jail time for H&M racists!
— Babes Womzabalazo (@NalediChirwa) January 13, 2018
Just asked one if the EFF members protesting in Waterfront what about people’s jobs and he replied “Are we supposed to justify racism because we want jobs?” #EFF #H&M
— Veve (@LudidiVelani) January 13, 2018
What are your thoughts?
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons