The Department of International Relations (Dirco) says if the US embassy in Pretoria does not offer a valid and justified explanation of President Donald Trump’s “shithole countries” comments regarding African countries, then they will demand an apology from him.
Dirco will on Monday request a meeting with a senior official from the embassy over Trump’s comments and vulgar use of language when referring to migrants from Africa, Haiti and El Salvador.
Department spokesperson Clayson Monyela says the department wanted to take action in order to protect and affirm the dignity of African people.
“African people are very sensitive about discrimination based on race given the history that we come from. That is why it is important for us as the South African government to protect the dignity of the people of Africa that are seeking residence in the United States. South African people are not coming there to create problems for America, they are coming there to contribute positively. We first want to demand an explanation and then from that explanation if we believe that the offensive statement it has got no justification the next step obviously is to demand an apology,” says Monyela.
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