Award-winning South African actress Florence Masebe has weighed in on Clicks Saga. She took to Twitter to defend cultural activists and Author Thando Mahlangu after Thando was asked to leave Clicks store in Midrand Boulders Shopping because management didn’t like his outfit.
The incident happened this Wednesday 24 March 2021.
Florence said that’s how Thando normally wears every day.
She tweeted: “I have known @Thandomahlangu for a number of years. I have never seen him dressed in any other way except his full isiNdebele attire which he wears with pride. That is his normal everyday wear. Yet he keeps getting told that his cultural dress is not good enough for some spaces.”
On the video that is making rounds on social media, the man who is believed to be a manager is heard saying: “I don’t condone this in my mall. It’s a public place, you are dressed indecently.” The man also added that the mall has a right to admission.
Thando had tweeted about the incident defining it as a “Saddest reality in Africa. “I was subjected to inside the @Clicks_SA store at The Boulders Shopping Center. By the center manager, who said it was his shopping complex. I was told that I'm wearing inappropriate I must go & Omega risk solutions harassed me”
Saddest reality in Africa, I was subjected to inside the @Clicks_SA store at The Boulders Shopping Center. By the center manager, who said it was his shopping complex. I was told that I'm wearing inappropriate I must go & Omega risk solutions harassed me #NdebeleTwitterpic.twitter.com/klzmTQspJO
— #WeNeedAmaNdebeleOnTV (@thandomahlangu_) March 24, 2021
He also told SowetanLive that he was told that he is chasing the customers away. “The guard told me I was merely wearing underwear and this was chasing away customers, and due to this, I was not allowed to buy at the mall. I refused to leave and I told the security guard to call the person who instructed him that he must tell me to leave the mall,” Thando told the publication.
Florence has always been an advocate for local culture and the promotion of IsiNdebele culture. She starred in the first IsiNdebele drama series for SABC 1 called Ikani, she played the role of Bafunani Mahlangu on the series.
Here is what other celebrities had to say:
Award-winning comedian David Kau tweeted: “Clicks must slaughter shem. Why didn’t this happen at Dischem or Builders Warehouse? Man shruggingman gesturing ok or Chicken Licken drive thru. Shem Clicks ya batho ba e loya! #clicks #witchcraft #badluck”
Twitter user Daniel Marven said: “Tomorrow (Friday 26 March 2021) we are wearing our traditional attires to the malls closer to us tomorrow? I'm doing it, who's in? I'm gonna share my pic or do a live video. Here is 11 am at Tubatse Crossing Regional Mall then Burgesfort Mall #clicks”
