Trump administration excludes South Africa from aluminium and steel tariffs relief

According to the recent report, South Africa is not included in the list of countries who have received a reprieve from the United States .

This news came after Trump reportedly signed proclamations permitting targeted relief from steel and aluminium quotas from countries including South Africa, Brazil, and Argentina.

South Africa was among the developing countries affected by 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium imports introduced by Washington in March 2018.

Recently, Trump tweeted that he had asked his secretary of state “closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large-scale killing of farmers” – apparently drawing on an inaccurate Fox News report.

The South African government, however, did not take kindly to the tweet and reportedly met the US government officials over the unfortunate comments by Trump. But the attempt to get comments from South African Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and his spokesperson Sidwell Medupe remained unsuccessful.

South Africa’s exclusion from the list of countries receiving relief from the tariff came just when the Trump administration is engaged in messy trade disputes with China and Turkey.

In May, Sidwell Medupe had expressed disappointment on behalf of the country pointing out that South Africa’s aluminium exports to the US represented only 1.6 per cent of US total aluminium imports hence posed no threat to US interests.