Trump Tariffs Spark Outrage in South Africa, Job Losses Loom

(2 Minutes Read)

The United States’ newly implemented tariff policy, which imposes a steep 31% tariff on imports from South Africa, is expected to have widespread and far-reaching consequences for multiple key sectors of the South African economy. Industries likely to be hardest hit include agriculture, mining, jewellery, automotive manufacturing, chemicals, and apparel production.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has voiced strong concerns, emphasising that the tariffs will not only burden agricultural exports but also severely impact other vital sectors that are critical to the country’s economic stability and employment levels. According to COSATU, the cascading effects of these tariffs could result in job losses across a broad spectrum of industries, compounding socioeconomic challenges.

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South Africa’s business community has also strongly condemned the U.S. policy, warning that it threatens thousands of jobs and undermines the economic security of ordinary South Africans. Industry leaders argue that the abrupt shift in trade dynamics is destabilising supply chains, disrupting export markets, and putting immense pressure on local manufacturers already struggling with high operational costs and limited access to global markets.