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By Nathan Adams 
13h ago
Cape Town – The EFF sang and danced when 16 members were released from jail on Saturday after they were arrested during protests outside a Clicks store.
The group was arrested in Eikestad Mall, Stellenbosch, and charged with contravening a court order that had been issued to the retailer to stop protests outside its stores.
On Saturday, the group was released under a warning and ordered to appear in Stellenbosch Magistrates Court on Monday.
The EFF rallied its supporters to protest and close the Clicks stores this week following public outrage after the hair brand, TRESemmé, posted an ad on the Clicks Group website that described African black hair as “curly and opaque “, while the hair of a white woman was referred to. as usual”.
Unilever’s South African office said they would set up an advisory board and diversity committee after apologizing for the “racist” haircare ad.
“We were surprised to find that we had provided images for the Clicks website that showed black hair as inferior. This was racist and we unreservedly apologize, ”Unilever said in a statement.
The leaders of the EFF Western Cape said that not all 16 people arrested were members of the EFF, and that Nosipho Makamba-Botya, a member of the provincial parliament and vice president of the EFF, was in the group of 16. Makamba-Botya has a additional charge of assaulting a police officer.
Judge AJ Sievers ruled that the group would be released with a warning.
EFF attorney Stephan Osborne said: “The addresses of the defendants and other details were confirmed late on Friday afternoon, so the only avenue available was to petition the High Court for the set free, ”Osborne said.
He added: “The charges are not dropped. The lawsuit was also filed due to the fact that there is a Covid-19 regulation that establishes that the State instead of releasing people accused of minor crimes because they are not adequately equipped.
Yesterday, EFF supporters arrived at court in bakkies and minibuses. It was a long wait, as the legal advisers consulted with each other and then in court before Judge Sievers rendered his ruling.
After seven and a half hours, the crowd, wearing their signature red jumpsuits and berets, were finally told that their fellow EFF members were free to go home.
The EFF had met earlier in the week with Clicks and Unilever management and agreed, among other things, to withdraw the hair care brand and donate sanitary napkins.
EFF leaders in the Western Cape went to great lengths to explain that none of its members had been arrested for wanton behavior or property damage, but had been charged with violating a court order.
Melikhaya Xego, the provincial president of the EFF, told the crowd that he knew at least 16 EFF supporters in the Eastern Cape who had also been arrested on the same charges.
Argus weekend
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