EFF MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE TO MEMBERS AND GROUND FORCES

Thursday, 10 September 2020

The Economic Freedom Fighters extends its gratitude to the selfless and disciplined Commissars, Fighters and Ground Forces for waging a noble fight against the racism of multinational goods company Unilever and pharmaceutical retailer Clicks. Fighters have over the past few days exhibited resilience and commitment to the struggle against racism and stood in defence of the dignity of black people regardless of the utterances of naysayers and detractors.

The fight against racism still has a long way to go. The character of the South African economy remains capitalistic and racial, as a white minority continues to dominate patterns of ownership, job creation and control of key sectors of the economy. It is this very character that informs the arrogance of racists, coupled with a culture of education and representation that has always described black people and their ways of being as inferior to those of white people.

A long history of colonialism informs the undermining of the identity of black people and disregard for black life all over the world. We commend fighters for taking up this difficult struggle that goes beyond hair, but the very essence of anti-blackness.

Our protests have led to key victories and showed the racist financial sector that there are consequences for racism. It is the beginning of a long protracted war against a sector that has long existed without the black child in mind.

The EFF has been able to leverage both Unilever and Clicks to donate 60 000 sanitary pads to rural and informal settlements identified by the EFF. This will go a long way in alleviating the indignity young females face of not having sanitary towels and must strengthen our resolve for the provision of sanitary towels for free in this country.

Clicks has agreed to provide educational scholarships to five young black women who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. A big commitment to educating the most vulnerable and forgotten children of this country.

Clicks has further delisted all Tresemme products and will replace their brand with locally sourced and black-owned hair products.

In addition, both Unilever and Clicks have agreed to work with the EFF in the transformation of their procurement process, and localisation and diversification of their supplier base. This is an important victory in terms of economic participation of small black owned business in the beauty and pharmaceutical industry.

All of these victories are a result of the selfless work of leaders and ground forces of the EFF, and for this, they must hold their heads up high with pride.

Let us continue to consolidate the ground towards socialist power through robust engagement and confrontation of the racist financial sector. We call on all members to remain disciplined as they have been in the face of provocation and continue to educate society above any and all reactionary commentary by regressive forces.

Hasta la Victoria Siempre! Victory is Certain!

Statement issued by the EFF, 9 September 2020