Cyril Ramaphosa responds to Donald Trump’s 30% SA tariffs

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President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday expressed concern over the United States’ decision to impose a new 30% import tariff on South African goods.

The office of the presidency said in a statement that the move was ‘a concern’, adding that it gives impetus to South Africa’s plans to negotiate new trade terms with the world’s biggest economy.

‘Whilst South Africa remains committed to a mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States, unilaterally imposed and punitive tariffs are a concern and serve as a barrier to trade and shared prosperity.

‘The tariffs affirm the urgency to negotiate a new bilateral and mutually beneficial trade agreement with the U.S, as an essential step to secure long-term trade certainty,’ the presidency said.

‘Higher rates’

Trump announced a baseline 10% tariff on all US imports on Wednesday, with 60 countries (full list below) – including South Africa – subject to higher rates.

Deemed among the ‘worst offenders’, these countries had significantly higher trade imbalances with the United States, Trump said, warranting higher tariffs.

He said South Africa has been charging 60% tariffs on US goods, so the US would impose a 30% tariff on South Africa.

The Trump administration had previously talked up fully reciprocal tariffs, but the president said that the US would be “kind” and cut the tariffs in half.

‘Deeply concerned’

The tariffs rattled markets, and South African businesses were deeply concerned about the implications.

According to Bloomberg, analysts have pointed to the tariffs, alongside worries that the Democratic Alliance will exit the Government of National Unity, as being significant impediments to dealmaking activity.

Trump has taken particular aim at South Africa since starting his second term in late January.

The US leader has signed executive orders cutting funding and opening a pathway for white Afrikaners to settle in the states as refugees. It has also pulled out of global renewable financing which has also hit South Africa.

Trump has said that South Africa’s policies are anti-American and accused the country of violating human rights by discriminating against minorities.

His administration has also flagged South Africa’s ties to America’s enemies – Russia, China and Iran – as well as its opposition to Israel, one of the USA’s biggest allies.

South Africa also now stands to lose beneficial access to US markets through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Trump said that if any country wanted to be exempt from the tariffs, it would simply have to move its production to the United States.

The president also announced a global 25% tariff on all imported vehicles, which took effect from midnight in the United States.

The reciprocal tariffs will come into effect on Wednesday, 9 April, with the 10% tariff kicking in earlier on Saturday, 5 April.

Rand crashes

The rand plummeted following the announcement and is currently trading at R18.79/$ at the time of publishing.

Here are Donald Trump’s US Reciprocal Tariffs by country/region:

Country/Region Country/Region Tariff* US Reciprocal Tariffs
Afghanistan 49% 10%
Albania 10% 10%
Algeria 59% 30%
Andorra 10% 10%
Angola 63% 32%
Anguilla 10% 10%
Antigua and Barbuda 10% 10%
Argentina 10% 10%
Armenia 10% 10%
Aruba 10% 10%
Australia 10% 10%
Azerbaijan 10% 10%
Bahamas 10% 10%
Bahrain 10% 10%
Bangladesh 74% 37%
Barbados 10% 10%
Belize 10% 10%
Benin 10% 10%
Bermuda 10% 10%
Bhutan 10% 10%
Bolivia 20% 10%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 70% 35%
Botswana 74% 37%
Brazil 10% 10%
British Indian Ocean Territory 10% 10%
British Virgin Islands 10% 10%
Brunei 47% 24%
Burma 88% 44%
Burundi 10% 10%
Cabo Verde 10% 10%
Cambodia 97% 49%
Cameroon 22% 11%
Cayman Islands 10% 10%
Central African Republic 10% 10%
Chad 26% 13%
Chile 10% 10%
China 67% 34%
Christmas Island 10% 10%
Cocos (Keeling) Islands 10% 10%
Colombia 10% 10%
Comoros 10% 10%
Congo (Brazzaville) 10% 10%
Congo (Kinshasa) 22% 11%
Cook Islands 10% 10%
Costa Rica 17% 10%
Cote d’Ivoire 41% 21%
Curacao 10% 10%
Djibouti 10% 10%
Dominica 10% 10%
Dominican Republic 10% 10%
Ecuador 12% 10%
Egypt 10% 10%
El Salvador 10% 10%
Equatorial Guinea 25% 13%
Eritrea 10% 10%
Eswatini 10% 10%
Ethiopia 10% 10%
EU 39% 20%
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 82% 41%
Fiji 63% 32%
French Guiana 10% 10%
French Polynesia 10% 10%
Gabon 10% 10%
Gambia 10% 10%
Georgia 10% 10%
Ghana 17% 10%
Gibraltar 10% 10%
Grenada 10% 10%
Guadeloupe 10% 10%
Guatemala 10% 10%
Guinea 10% 10%
Guinea-Bissau 10% 10%
Guyana 76% 38%
Haiti 10% 10%
Heard and McDonald Islands 10% 10%
Honduras 10% 10%
Iceland 10% 10%
India 52% 26%
Indonesia 64% 32%
Iran 10% 10%
Iraq 78% 39%
Israel 33% 17%
Jamaica 10% 10%
Japan 46% 24%
Jordan 40% 20%
Kazakhstan 54% 27%
Kenya 10% 10%
Kiribati 10% 10%
Kosovo 10% 10%
Kuwait 10% 10%
Kyrgyzstan 10% 10%
Laos 95% 48%
Lebanon 10% 10%
Lesotho 99% 50%
Liberia 10% 10%
Libya 61% 31%
Liechtenstein 73% 37%
Madagascar 93% 47%
Malawi 34% 17%
Malaysia 47% 24%
Maldives 10% 10%
Mali 10% 10%
Marshall Islands 10% 10%
Martinique 10% 10%
Mauritania 10% 10%
Mauritius 80% 40%
Mayotte 10% 10%
Micronesia 10% 10%
Moldova 61% 31%
Monaco 10% 10%
Mongolia 10% 10%
Montenegro 10% 10%
Montserrat 10% 10%
Morocco 10% 10%
Mozambique 31% 16%
Namibia 42% 21%
Nauru 59% 30%
Nepal 10% 10%
New Zealand 20% 10%
Nicaragua 36% 18%
Niger 10% 10%
Nigeria 27% 14%
Norfolk Island 58% 29%
North Macedonia 65% 33%
Norway 30% 15%
Oman 10% 10%
Pakistan 58% 29%
Panama 10% 10%
Papua New Guinea 15% 10%
Paraguay 10% 10%
Peru 10% 10%
Philippines 34% 17%
Qatar 10% 10%
Reunion 73% 37%
Rwanda 10% 10%
Saint Elena 15% 10%
Saint Kitts and Nevis 10% 10%
Saint Lucia 10% 10%
Saint Pierre and Miquelon 99% 50%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10% 10%
Samoa 10% 10%
San Marino 10% 10%
São Tomé and Príncipe 10% 10%
Saudi Arabia 10% 10%
Senegal 10% 10%
Serbia 74% 37%
Sierra Leone 10% 10%
Singapore 10% 10%
Sint Maarten 10% 10%
Solomon Islands 10% 10%
South Africa 60% 30%
South Korea 50% 25%
South Sudan 10% 10%
Sri Lanka 88% 44%
Sudan 10% 10%
Suriname 10% 10%
Svalbard and Jan Mayen 10% 10%
Switzerland 61% 31%
Syria 81% 41%
Taiwan 64% 32%
Tajikistan 10% 10%
Tanzania 10% 10%
Thailand 72% 36%
Timor-Leste 10% 10%
Togo 10% 10%
Tokelau 10% 10%
Tonga 10% 10%
Trinidad and Tobago 12% 10%
Tunisia 55% 28%
Turkey 10% 10%
Turkmenistan 10% 10%
Turks and Caicos Islands 10% 10%
Tuvalu 10% 10%
Uganda 20% 10%
Ukraine 10% 10%
United Arab Emirates 10% 10%
United Kingdom 10% 10%
Uruguay 10% 10%
Uzbekistan 10% 10%
Vanuatu 44% 22%
Venezuela 29% 15%
Vietnam 90% 46%
Yemen 10% 10%
Zambia 33% 17%
Zimbabwe 35% 18%

Can you understand the thinking behind imposing these tariffs?

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