MBOMBELA – On Saturday, the clothing retailer’s stores were temporarily closed countrywide, after EFF supporters trashed some outlets in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The i’langa store was also closed, but traded as usual again on Sunday, said the mall’s general manager, Sandi Human.

The provincial leader of the EFF, Collen Sedibe, was astounded when he heard that the i’langa Mall branch of the Swedish clothing giant was open for business on Monday.

The EFF’s leadership applauded its supporters for physically fighting racism after the attack on some stores made the news.

Human said yesterday that i’langa was blessed with no violence over the weekend, but the mall has rolled out an action plan in case something does happen. “We have armed response standing by. We don’t want to take any risks.”

Shortly afterwards Sedibe told Lowvelder that party members would go to the mall to demand that management close the store on Monday afternoon. He said that they were planning to march to i’langa at around 13:00.

“If they do not comply to do so, we will vandalise the shop,” he said.

Lowvelder was on the scene, but there were no signs of EFF members. An in-store announcement was made instructing shoppers to leave the shop immediately and H&M was closed.

Neither Sedibe nor EFF councillor Cyril Chuene could be reached for comment on why they decided not to take action.

BREAKING NEWS: H&M i’langa Mall closed after looming EFF threat

Provincial leader of the EFF, Colin Sedibe was astounded when he heard that the i’langa Mall branch of Swedish clothing giant, H&M was open for business earlier today.

Sedibe told Lowvelder that party members were on their way to the mall to demand that management close the store.

“If they refuse to do so, we will vandalise the shop.”

Over the weekend, the party staged protests at H&M stores in Gauteng, the Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal against alleged racism after a catalogue photograph in which a little black boy wears a hoodie bearing the slogan “coolest monkey in the jungle” was published.

General manager of i’langa, Sandy Human said they were blessed with no violence over the weekend, but the mall has rolled out an action plan in case something does happen.

“We have armed response standing by.”