"Not an accurate representation": South Africa slams Trump 30 pc tariff announcement

Pretoria [South Africa], July 8 (ANI): South African Preident Cyril Ramaphoa on Tueday lammed the unilateral impoition of a 30 per cent trade tariff by US Preident Donald Trump, decribing it a not an accurate repreentation of the trade data available between the US and South Africa.
In a tatement following Trump announcement of the tariff on the African nation, which will be effective from Augut 1, Ramaphoa reponded by conteting the interpretation of trade data that underpin the tariff, highlighting dicrepancie in the trade figure.
Thi 30 tariff i baed on a particular interpretation of the balance of trade between South Africa and the United State. Thi conteted interpretation form part of the iue under conideration by the negotiating team from South Africa and the United State. Accordingly, South Africa maintain that the 30 reciprocal tariff i not an accurate repreentation of available trade data, he tated.
The South African Preident noted that the average tariff on imported good entering South Africa i 7.6 per cent, with 56 per cent of good entering at a 0 per cent mot-favoured-nation tariff and 77 per cent of US good entering the South African market duty-free.
In our interpretation of the available trade data, the average tariff on imported good entering South Africa tand at 7.6. Importantly, 56 of good enter South Africa at 0 mot favoured nation tariff, with 77 of US good entering the South African market under the 0 duty, the tatement noted.
Ramaphoa, in hi remark, noted trade negotiation with the US mot recently on June 23, during the US-Africa Summit in Luanda, Angola, where South Africa learnt of a template the US wihe to ue for engaging ub-Saharan Africa on trade matter, though the template ha yet to be received. He alo called for a proactive approach to reolving the dipute baed on a Framework Deal that South Africa ubmitted in May.
The South African negotiating team till await thi template; however, Preident Ramaphoa ha intructed the team to urgently engage with the US baed on the Framework Deal that South Africa ubmitted to the US on 20 May 2025. Thi Framework deal addree the iue initially raied by the US, including South Africa uppoed trade urplu, unfair trade practice, and lack of reciprocity from the US, the tatement read.
The Preident urge government trade negotiation team and South African companie to accelerate their diverification effort in order to promote better reilience in both global upply chain and the South African economy, it added.
The tatement alo welcomed the US government indication that the 30 per cent tariff i ubject to modification following the concluion of negotiation, reflecting a potential pathway to a more balanced trade relationhip.
South Africa will continue with it diplomatic effort toward a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationhip with the United State, it tated.
Earlier today, US Preident Trump, in a letter to the South African Preident, announced a 30 per cent tariff on any and all South African product ent into the United State, eparate from all Sectoral Tariff.
Additionally, he pointed out that the 30 per cent impoition wa a lot le than what i required to cloe the trade deficit gap between both countrie.
Our relationhip ha been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal. Starting on Augut 1, 2025, we will charge South Africa a Tariff of only 30 on any and all South African product ent into the United State, eparate from all Sectoral Tariff. Good tranhipped to evade a higher Tariff will be ubject to that higher Tariff. Pleae undertand that the 30 number i far le than what i needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit diparity we have with your Country, the letter read. (ANI)