South African President Cyril Ramaphosa challenged “unilateral” 30% trade tariffs proposed by the Trump administration in Washington’s latest announcement of import duties.
Ramaphosa said the suggested tariff was “not an accurate representation” of trade data and that South Africa was engaging in negotiations to bring it down ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline.
The US is South Africa’s second-biggest trade partner after China and the new duties could hit industries ranging from farming to textiles.
Last week Standard Bank, Africa’s biggest lender by assets, warned that tariffs on vehicles and agriculture could slow demand from US buyers, particularly impacting local automotive manufacturers.
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