South Africa Sends Delegation to Washington for ...

South Africa Sends Delegation to Washington for Trade Talks

Zim Now Writer

South Africa has dispatched senior officials to the United States to lay the groundwork for long-awaited trade negotiations, President Cyril Ramaphosa told parliament on Tuesday.

The move comes after months of unsuccessful attempts to reach an agreement with the Trump administration, which last month slapped a 30% tariff on South African exports.

The duties, which target one of Africa’s most industrialised economies, have already hit exporters hard and prompted calls for urgent government action.

Ramaphosa confirmed that representatives from the Presidency and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition are in New York and Washington, where they will engage with U.S. officials, lawmakers, and business leaders. He said the formal negotiations are expected to begin “in just a few days.”

Washington has so far dismissed South Africa’s earlier trade proposals, but Pretoria is pressing for relief from the tariffs, which threaten jobs and investment at home.

The talks are seen as critical to stabilising a relationship that has become increasingly strained under Trump’s “America First” trade policy.

South African businesses, particularly in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, are watching closely for any breakthrough that could soften the tariff blow and secure better access to the U.S. market.