South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s move to impose a 30% tariff on South African goods, disputing the data behind the decision and calling for more clarity before any negotiations can proceed. In a statement, the presidency said:

“South Africa maintains that the 30% reciprocal tariff does not accurately reflect current trade data. According to our analysis, the average tariff on goods entering South Africa is 7.6%. Notably, 56% of imports arrive duty-free under the most-favoured-nation status, and 77% of US goods face zero tariffs when entering the South African market.” The statement added that South Africa remains committed to pursuing “a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States” through diplomatic channels, but is currently awaiting a detailed “template” that U.S. officials had committed to sharing during the June 23 summit in Luanda.