By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Top officials of the South African government have been dispatched to the US for trade negotiations after attempting for months to strike a deal with Washington in order to roll back steep tariffs, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday.
“The Presidency and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition have sent representatives … who are preparing for the further formal negotiations with the United States government, which should be taking place in just a few days,” Ramaphosa told parliament.
The U.S. President, Donald Trump had last month slammed a 30% tariff on imports from South Africa after several unsuccessful attempts by Ramaphosa and his team to propose a trade agreement acceptable by Washington.
Ramaphosa said the South African officials would meet representatives of Trump’s administration, lawmakers and business figures in New York and Washington.
Shortly before the implementation of the tariffs, South African officials said Washington did not responded to their offers or open room for dialogue. In an attempt to avert the implementation of the tariffs, South Africa submitted a revised proposal for trade deal a month ago.
South Africa’s leverage was its natural resources, particularly critical minerals, and that discussions with the U.S. were revolving around that, Ramaphosa stated.
“Even as we may well want to export the critical minerals, we want them to leave the shores of South Africa as finished products … So that is the type of discussion that we are having with them,” he said.
Since Trump came into office January this year, United States relations with South Africa has deteriorated, leading to expulsion of South Africa’s envoy in Washington.
Trump had accused South Africa of persecution of white minority through a land policy he claimed was unfair, but South Africa denies the allegation.
Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen had last month said for South Africa to secure lower tariffs, it might need to address some of Trump’s criticisms, including his opposition to affirmative action laws aimed at redressing apartheid-era racial discrimination.
