Police failed communities by not acting: AfriForum on Clicks protests

Lobby group AfriForum on Monday condemned the police for allegedly not acting when Clicks stores were vandalised during protests across the country.

Several stores were damaged during protests organised by the EFF, which vowed to shut down outlets run by the beauty and health retailer in response to an advert that was said to be demeaning to black hair.

“The civil organisation AfriForum today requested Gen Bheki Cele, minister of police, to act decisively against the perpetrators who vandalised and damaged Clicks shops across the country,” the NGO said in a statement.

It said that police had failed in their duty to protect citizens during the violent protests.

“Julius Malema and other EFF leaders’ public incitement of violence should have placed the police on standby to prevent what we have seen today. Yet it seems that not a single person has been arrested whose crimes had been recorded on video,” said Marnus Kamfer, legal and risk manager at AfriForum.

He said the EFF and their followers’ actions, together with the inability of police to bring to book those involved in the acts, were proof that communities should organise and safeguard themselves.

“Communities and individuals can and must protect themselves within the framework of the law. Today’s events underscore this once again.”

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