South Africa faces tough US terms in bid for trade negotiations

The administration of US President Donald Trump has presented a series of conditions to South Africa as part of bilateral trade agreement negotiations.

The Director-General of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Zane Dangor, revealed further details on Washington's demands, Caliber.Az reports citing South African media. 

According to him, the US intends to impose 30% tariffs on South African goods starting August 7 if an agreement is not reached. As an alternative, Washington is demanding significant concessions, including changes to South African national legislation.

"The US government is pressing certain conditions on South Africa," said Dangor, adding that negotiations are ongoing and South Africa’s position remains firm.

Among Washington's list of demands, Dangor mentioned the repeal of a rule requiring that one-third of shares in foreign companies operating in South Africa be owned by members of groups disadvantaged by colonialism and apartheid, as well as revisions to land reform policies to favor farm sellers.

Other reported conditions include harsher penalties for the murder of white farmers and an official condemnation by South African authorities of the apartheid-era song “Kill the Boer,” which is often sung at political rallies.

The Black empowerment policies were introduced after 1994 to address racial disparities stemming from colonial and apartheid rule, Dangor recalled in earlier discussions. 

South Africa has been in talks with the US since May, when President Cyril Ramaphosa endured a combative meeting with Trump during a visit to the White House.

The US leader used the opportunity to repeat false claims that White Afrikaner farmers were being subjected to a genocide in South Africa and their land was being confiscated, which the government has firmly rejected.

By Nazrin Sadigova