JOHANNESBURG — South Africa has dispatched officials to the United States to prepare for trade negotiations following the imposition of steep tariffs by the Trump administration, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 30% tariff on imports from South Africa after several unsuccessful attempts by the South African government to propose a trade agreement.
“The Presidency and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition have sent representatives who are preparing for further formal negotiations with the United States government, which should take place in just a few days,” Ramaphosa told parliament.
South African officials are scheduled to meet U.S. government representatives, lawmakers, and business figures in New York and Washington. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ramaphosa said South Africa’s discussions with the U.S. will focus on leveraging its natural resources, particularly critical minerals, and ensuring that such resources are exported as finished products.
Relations between the two countries have recently been strained, partly due to Trump’s unfounded claims of persecution against South Africa’s white minority, which led to the creation of a refugee programme for white South Africans.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said last month that South Africa might need to address some of Trump’s criticisms, including opposition to affirmative action laws aimed at redressing apartheid-era inequalities, to secure lower tariffs.
