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South Africa, a country painfully familiar with the dangers of racial division, demanded Sunday the U.S. account for Donald Trump’s “shithole” slur against the African continent.The South African foreign ministry said it would formally protest to the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria Monday and summon the embassy’s charges d'affaires to explain the remarks.“South Africa aligns itself with the statements issued by the African Union and the Africa group of Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York. Africa is united in its affirmation of the dignity of the people of Africa and the African diaspora,” the statement said.“Relations between South Africa and the United States, and between the rest of Africa and the United States, must be based on mutual respect and understanding.”Despite the president insistence Sunday he is “not a racist,” Trump has been wounded by the comments made Thursday during a bipartisan Oval Office meeting on immigration reform. According to two witnesses in the room, Trump singled out African nations and Haiti, asking: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?”He claimed Thursday that he was misreported, tweeting, “the language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used.” Trump told reporters Sunday night: “I'm the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”Trump has been condemned internationally for the remarks. Botswana’s foreign ministry earlier summoned the U.S. ambassador in protest.