During the previous leg of the inquiry, anti-racism activist Zulaikha Patel told the inquiry she believes advertising agencies which are responsible for adverts found to be racist need to be held accountable.

Patel told the South African Human Rights Commission’s hearing into racism in the advertising industry that the recent hair advert by health and beauty retailer Clicks was just another example of an ad dehumanising black people.

The commission's Wisani Baloyi says the inquiry is aiming to instil long-term solutions in the advertising sector.

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"In the recent past, there have been a few advertisements that have been indicative of racism and have evoked much criticism of the industry and its clients. 

"The SAHRC aims to craft medium to long-term interventions that will instil, in the advertising sector, a culture of human rights and produce mechanisms that promote equality and prevent unfair discrimination. 

"And, in doing so, prevent the publication of discriminatory (racist, sexist, tribalist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic or ableist) advertisements."