The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) condemns in the strongest possible terms the unilateral decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose a punitive 30% tariff on South African exports. This reckless act of economic aggression is designed to protect U.S. corporations at the expense of workers, communities, and industries in the Global South.
South Africa enters this crisis with official unemployment at 32.9% (expanded definition over 41%), deepening poverty, and collapsing public services. The imposition of these tariffs will deliver a direct blow to working-class livelihoods:
- Over 70,000 jobs are at immediate risk in export-linked sectors such as agriculture (citrus, wine, nuts), automotive manufacturing, metals, and agro-processing.
- Agricultural exports worth over R14 billion to the U.S. face steep losses, threatening rural economies and seasonal farmworker incomes.
- Automotive exports, a flagship manufacturing sector, risk a 20–30% drop in U.S. sales, undermining production and supply chain jobs.
- The shock to exports could cut 0.2–0.3% from GDP in 2025, with multiplier effects spreading to retail, transport, and other services.
This trade war is not simply a South African crisis — it threatens the stability of global trade, undermines multilateralism, and will hit developing nations hardest.
SAFTU’s demands
SAFTU calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to take decisive action:
- Convene an emergency national meeting bringing together trade unions, progressive economists, industrialists, and government ministries to develop a coordinated national response.
- Accelerate diversification of trade, making full use of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and deepening economic ties with Latin America, Asia, and the Global South.
- Invest in industrialisation and infrastructure, particularly rail, ports, and manufacturing capacity, to strengthen local production and reduce dependence on hostile markets.
- Protect workers and communities from the immediate impact of tariffs through targeted relief packages for affected sectors, wage protection measures, and income support for vulnerable households.
- Build global solidarity via the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and allied movements to oppose protectionist aggression and advance an equitable global trade order.
This is a wake-up call.
The 30% tariffs are a clear reminder that South Africa cannot rely on a global trading order shaped by the narrow interests of powerful nations. SAFTU stands ready to participate in the emergency meeting we have proposed and to mobilise in defence of our economy, our sovereignty, and our workers.
A Statement was issued on behalf of SAFTU by General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
For more details, contact the National Spokesperson at:
Newton Masuku
066 168 2157
Newtonm@saftu.org.za
