PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa hits back at US President Donald Trump.
This comes after Trump's "unilateral" imposition of a 30% trade tariff against Mzansi.
Ramaphosa said on Tuesday, 8 July, that the tariff is based on inaccurate data and a particular interpretation of the balance of trade between South Africa and the US.
"This contested interpretation forms part of the issues under consideration by the negotiating teams from South Africa and the United States. Accordingly, South Africa maintains that the 30% reciprocal tariff is not an accurate representation of available trade data," said presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya.
"In our interpretation of the available trade data, the average tariff on imported goods entering South Africa stands at 7,6%. Importantly, 56% of goods enter South Africa at 0% most favoured nation tariff, with 77% of US goods entering the South African market under the 0% duty."
Mzansi is one of several countries to have received this communication on 7 July, with some receiving tariffs as high as 40%.
Magwenya said the government will continue working towards finding a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the US.
"We welcome the commitment by the US government that the 30% tariff is subject to modification at the back of the conclusion of our negotiations with the United States."
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He pointed out that Mzansi continues to engage the United States and has recently learned of a template with which the US wishes to engage sub-Saharan Africa on matters of trade.
Magwenya said South Africa's negotiating team still awaits this template.
"However, President Ramaphosa has instructed the team to urgently engage with the US on the basis of the Framework Deal that South Africa submitted to the US on 20 May 2025. This framework deal addresses the issues initially raised by the US, including South Africa's supposed trade surplus, unfair trade practices and lack of reciprocity from the US.
"The President urges government trade negotiations teams and South African companies to accelerate their diversification efforts in order to promote better resilience in both global supply chains and the South African economy," he said.
In a letter addressed to Ramaphosa on Monday, 7 July, which was signed by Trump and posted on his Truth Social, he said his government has concluded that "we must move away from these long-term, and very persistent, trade deficits engendered by South Africa's tariff, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers".
"Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from reciprocal. Starting on 1 August 2025, we will charge South Africa a tariff of only 30% on any and all South African products sent to the United States, separate from all sectoral tariffs," wrote Trump.
He said the tariffs effective in August are not final.
However, he cautioned that if South Africa decided to increase its tariffs in response to his announcement, the amount it chooses to raise them by would be added on top of the existing 30%.
"If you wish to open your heretofore closed trading markets to the United States, and eliminate your tariff and non-tariff policies and trade barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter," he said.
"These tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country. You will never be disappointed with the United States of America."
