EFF NOTES HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT ON CLICKS V EFF MATTER

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

The Economic Freedom Fighters notes the judgement by the High Court in the matter between Clicks and The EFF in which the court reaffirmed the EFF's right to peaceful and just protest. We note the effective dismissal of the racist Clicks attempt to halt protests against its racism and condemn them for wasting the judiciary's time when it could be hearing far more important matters.

We welcome the complete and utter failure by Clicks to interdict the EFF, and its leadership from participating in protests against Clicks. Clicks failed to interdict namely:

The Economic Freedom Fighters

The Commander in Chief Julius Malema

The Secretary-General Marshall Dlamini

National Spokesperson Vuyani Pambo

National Spokesperson Delisile Ngwenya

National Communications Officer Nompumelelo Simango

In a second attempt to avoid justice and accountability, Clicks approached the courts in the darkness of night, to attempt to interdict the protest action of the EFF against its racism. The High Court resolved to interdict acts of intimidation and violence against employees, customers and the commercial operations of Clicks. The EFF would like to categorically state that we have not engaged in or commissioned any violence against employees, customers or commercial operations of Clicks.

All members of the EFF have under our instruction engaged in disciplined protests, engaging prospective customers of Clicks on the racism perpetuated by the entity and engaging workers on the conditions they face while working for Clicks.

The actions of the EFF have been characterized by peaceful protest across all outlets, and to voice dissatisfaction of the violence of racism in the form of a picket does not constitute violence. Essentially, Clicks has lost in its attempt to interdict the protest action of the EFF as the interdict issued by the court does not speak to the protests being undertaken by the EFF across the country.

We reject the infiltration of our protests by agent provocateurs who wish to tarnish the good name and reputation of the EFF. These elements will be identified, isolated and dealt with severely.

Our interactions with customers and employees have been peaceful, and we would like to advise all law enforcement agencies, be it private or the state to read the court order carefully and appropriately to avoid infringing on our constitutional right to demonstrate.

We will continue to protest across all Clicks outlets until the 11th of September 2020. This is to ensure that Clicks, which values profits over the dignity of black people in this country feels the consequences of undermining the identity of black people, and presenting whiteness as the standard for beauty.

It should be clear to Clicks that the court has not declared the protest illegal and accordingly, the lawful and peaceful protests continue until Friday.

Accordingly, all members and ground forces of the EFF must intensify their efforts to ensure Clicks does not operate, and this must be done through peaceful means. Racists can no longer hide from accountability in this country, and we will confront their arrogance decisively.

Statement issued by the EFF, 8 September 2020