John Steenhuisen Concerned About Impact of 30% Tariffs on Agriculture Sector, SA Slams US Leader
- John Steenhuisen has shared his thoughts about Donald Trump's plans to impose 30% tariffs on South Africa
- The Minister of Agriculture expressed concern about the impact the tariffs could have on the industry
- South Africans weighed in on Steenhuisen's comments and shared their thoughts on Trump's plans
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
WESTERN CAPE – John Steenhuisen has expressed concern about Donald Trump’s impending tariff hike.
The President of the United States of America announced that he would be imposing a 30% tariff on South Africa which would take effect on 1 August 2025. South Africa is one of a few countries that received a letter from Trump indicating his intention to hike the tariffs. Trump previously wanted to impose a hefty tariff on South Africa, with AfriForum blaming the African National Congress for it.
In his letters, the US leader said his country’s relationship with each country had been “unfortunately, far from reciprocal”. With the 1 August deadline approaching, the Minister of Agriculture said he was gravely concerned about the impact it would have.
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What did Steenhuisen say?
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, 08 July 2025, Steenhuisen said he was worried about the impact the tariffs would have on the country’s exports. He did note that there was still time for the government to negotiate a more favourable deal before the new tariff was implemented.
“Now more than ever, it highlights the need for urgent reform in South Africa so that we can ensure that our economy can meet the requirements of our trading partners around the world,” he said.
Steenhuisen also added that Trump’s announcement almost certainly spelt the end of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA ensured that South Africa enjoyed duty-free exports to the USA for over 6,000 products.
With that off the table, Steenhuisen said the agriculture sector would particularly be exposed in the areas of citrus, wine, nuts and grapes.
“I look forward to working with Minister Parks Tau and others to urgently seek a way through this impasse, and ensure we can avoid the 30% tariff for our agriculture sector,” Steenhuisen added.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans weigh in on Steenhuisen’s comments
Social media users shared their thoughts on Steenhuisen’s comments, with many criticising Trump’s actions.
MJ Moses Johannes said:
“If I were the President, I'd just return the favour by stopping all the minerals that are exported to the US.”
Njabulo Mnyandu added:
“Each time one of these right-wing groups, FF+, AfriForum, or DA go visit the White House, we get slapped with tariffs.”
Thabile Majola stated:
“John thinks Trump cares about him, but Trump doesn't care about SA. He cares about America.”
Mondli Ndlovu said:
“There's nothing special about Trump. His term will come to an end like everyone else’s.”
Jabu Carter added:
“It's not easy to negotiate with a bully.”
Thibos stated:
“He must go to AfriForum and Solidarity. Chickens are coming back home to roost.”
Le Pfunique asked:
“So, they went to the USA for nothing?”
Ramaphosa challenges Trump's tariff claims
Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa challenged some of Trump's statements about his tariff increase.
The South African resident explained how much the country imported from the USA and vice versa.
South Africans took to social media to share their thoughts on Ramaphosa's response to Trump's tariff hikes.
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Source: Briefly News
