SA makes new offer to US to fend off punitive tariffs

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Hi there

It’s Ferial from the newsroom - just out of a briefing with Trade Minister Parks Tau and the Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. Here are 5 take-aways:

  1. SA has sent a revised trade offer to the US to fend off punitive 30% tariffa harmful to agriculture and our auto manufacturers.

  2. SA will make it easier for the US to sell their blueberries, pork and chicken in SA for a start. Imports should start in a fortnight.

  3. We’ve also offered to open markets for other high value products to balance trade.

  4. Political issues like rural safety (what the US has incorrectly called a white genocide were not raised) and neither was an additional 10% BRICS tariff.

  5. Meanwhile SA is actively exploring new trade relationships with Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam and others) as well as Middle Eastern countries to diversify exports. The US is SA’s third largest trading partner.

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I came away impressed by both Trade&Industry Minister Parks Tau as well as Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. When the GNU works, it works, hey.

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Ferial, do we know if the US is open to a new offer? Or is it a hail mary?

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Talks with the US Trade Representative appear to have been constructive and muscular on both sides. Obviously, it’s up to the White House but a trade official I chatted to said it was a substantive offer.

Minister Parks Tau, however, said the negotiations were unprecedented and really tough. I think the opportunity here is to explore new growth markets.

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I’ll take a chlorinated chicken diet for the team if it helps a deal go through.

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Sign me up for sugar free and no fun eating. I’m just happy that Steezy is finally beginning to admit that there is more to the tariff motivation than meets his smouldering eyes…

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@Ferial it will be interesting to see if the ANC is on the same page, let alone the GNU. While this seems positive, comments from Gwede Mantashe and Fikile Mbalula can still derail the process. No country in the world is liking being bullied by Trump, but most have realized what a poor negotiating position they are in. The anaemic growth in South Africa and the lack of development of key industries due to regulations and political interference leave us exposed. Gwede Mantashe believes we have an advantage in certain minerals and can be stubborn, but even there they havn’t approved a mining licence in who knows how long. While we need positive news, we must be careful of celebrating mediocrity or people just doing there jobs for a change.

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