Woolworths got into trouble after one of its stores put ropes around mannequins on display.
Many customers say the sight depicted the inglorious slave trade era in which White people chained their black slaves and shipped them across the Atlantic to work farms, tend gardens and clean homes.
A South African Facebook user, Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha, was the first to openly query Woolworths. He said he felt offended over the ‘barbaric act against humanity.’
Woolworths responded with an apology claiming ‘the ropes are supposed to support the Christmas baubles but was not correctly placed.’ It also said it was pulling down the entire display.
Nonetheless, many blacks said Woolworths’ excuse was simply not enough.
A Nigerian schooling in South Africa told Newsroom people are agitated because they felt insulted as Woolworths was indirectly referring to them as debtors.
‘They feel they are being portrayed as slaves and that the store is indirectly reminding them they are still slaves to the whites who own Woolworths because many blacks even buy on credit,’ the Nigerian student said.
Read Woolworths’ full apology:
Hi everyone
We apologise for the distress caused by an incorrectly assembled RE: in-store installation.
At the start of any campaign, our stores are taken through the creative direction for installations via a ‘model store’ set up. This festive season’s installation is supposed to hold Christmas baubles suspended off ropes, being supported by the mannequins. One store implemented the installation incorrectly, using the rope without the Christmas baubles.
The mannequins used in RE: displays are made from recycled materials which is why they are naturally grey in colour; they don’t represent a particular race.
As soon as we became aware of the error yesterday afternoon we contacted the relevant team to make sure the mistake was corrected as soon as possible. The offending display is now fixed.
After Woolworths apologised, some South Africans, however, say those agitated are only overreacting. They say it shows they are xenophobic.
South Africa was in the eye of the storm a while back when aggrieved unemployed blacks launched xenophobic attacks on foreigners. Many Nigerians were affected caught in the attacks.
