South Africa is racing to deliver an “enhanced” trade proposal in a last-ditch effort to stop a 30% U.S. tariff from taking effect on Friday, Trade Minister Parks Tau said on Thursday.
Speaking on South Africa’s 702 radio, Tau said Washington had urged Pretoria to resubmit its plan before the August 1 deadline.
“We’re having to navigate a last-minute proposal that’s enhanced from the proposal that we had initially given,” Tau said. “And to tell the truth, it’s wait and see.”
South Africa’s initial trade proposal was sent to the Trump administration in May and revised in June, but U.S. officials have yet to issue a formal response.
The looming tariff has sparked widespread concern in South Africa. Central bank estimates warn that a 30% levy could put 100,000 jobs at risk, with the agricultural and automotive industries likely to be hardest hit. The U.S. is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner after China, importing cars, manufactured goods, citrus fruit, and wine.
Tau confirmed that South African negotiators held talks late Wednesday with both the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and officials at the American embassy in Pretoria.
“They encouraged us to resubmit our proposal, possibly an enhanced proposal, to the United States government,” he said.
Negotiations have been further complicated by U.S. concerns over South Africa’s domestic affirmative-action policies, known as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), as well as Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice—an issue that has strained relations with both Washington and Tel Aviv.
With hours to go before the tariff takes effect, South Africa is waiting to see if its latest offer will avert a trade crisis.