South Africa’s Business and Industry Chamber (SACCI) has expressed the need for clarification regarding the methods used by companies that will be impacted by U.S. tariffs.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 30% tariff on all South African goods entering the United States.
SACCI has stated that it does not understand how the U.S. arrived at the 60% tariff rate it claims South Africa imposes on goods from American. SACCI President Mtho Xulu said they are investigating the potential effects of this tariff on local businesses.
“The tariff announced for South Africa—we really don’t have clear details on how it was calculated. South Africa has never had a policy of imposing tariffs on U.S. goods. Although the narrative suggests that we have also imposed reciprocal tariffs, we need to understand which products will be affected and to what extent, as each sector has a different relationship with the U.S. We will be gathering feedback from our members to help us understand the impact on their businesses and to consult with observers to get the facts on how much or how we are imposing tariffs on the U.S.,” Xulu explained.
At the same time, Zane Dangor, the Executive Director of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, stated that President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on South Africa should be viewed in the broader context of the U.S.’s global trade approach.
Dangor emphasized that this issue should not be seen as concerning only South Africa, as many countries, including some in Africa, are facing similar challenges.
“The U.S. administration’s approach to trade issues is global. The domestic issues were what we discussed. We spent time explaining and clarifying. It was our first meeting with senior officials from the U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council,” Dangor said.
