The Commission conveyed to H&M the hurtful consequences of their campaign, which have struck a nerve in South Africa.  The Commission further stated that in the context of South Africa, words such as ‘baboon’ and ‘monkey’ are not neutral terms, and were used to demean the fundamental humanity of black people; and that this association was used to rationalise the construction of a race-based caste system, which positioned certain races as superior to others.
 
H&M reiterated the apology they issued earlier this week and indicated that the company is aware that an apology is insufficient to address the hurt the campaign had caused.
 
“We made a terrible mistake and we would like South Africans to understand that it will never happen again,” said H&M representative, Rob Hekkers.
 
H&M has committed to instituting diversity training for its staff and to devising a plan to address the issues the offensive campaign has raised.
 
H&M has agreed to provide the SAHRC with a copy of the plan, by no later than Friday 26 January 2018, for the Commission’s input before finalisation.
 
The SAHRC has also made attempts to engage the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).  Attempts to meet the EFF were not successful. The Commission will continue to engage the EFF on this matter.
 
Ends

Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission

For more information, please contact:

Gail Smith - SAHRC Spokesperson. Cell: 060 988 3792 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gushwell Brooks - Communications Co-ordinator.  Cell: 082 645 8573 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.