SA takes action on Trump

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation will on today summon the Chargé d’Affaires of the embassy of the US in Pretoria‚ Jessye Lapenn‚ following the recent disturbing comments attributed to US president Donald Trump.

The department said it would provide Lapenn with an opportunity to explain the statement made by Trump last week that some African countries‚ alongside Haiti and El Savador‚ constituted “s***holes” from where migrants into the US were undesirable.

The department described the action it intended to take as a demarche – diplomatic moves used by governments to gather information from a foreign government.

Governments may also use a demarche to protest or object to actions by a foreign government. The department said it had noted Trump’s tweet on Friday in which he denies making the crude and offensive statement.

The department said it had also noted that Trump’s denial was not categorical‚ referring only to Haiti and not addressing the entirety of the statement attributed to him.

“South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union and the Africa group of ambassadors to the UN in New York. Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora‚” the department said.