South Africa’s second-largest ruling coalition party has warned that the 30% tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on South African exports is unlikely to be lifted unless Pretoria revises key domestic policies, including affirmative action. Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen told Reuters that Washington’s concerns go beyond trade, touching on contentious issues such as the country’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Act, expropriation without compensation, and labour laws.
Steenhuisen said South Africa’s membership in the BRICS bloc also factored into U.S. discomfort, suggesting political considerations were shaping trade policy. While the DA has long opposed BEE and favoured non-racial economic reforms, the African National Congress (ANC) views the policy as a cornerstone of efforts to redress apartheid-era inequality. The ANC also defends the new Expropriation Act, saying fears over land seizures are exaggerated, with no land taken so far under the law.
The DA leader cautioned that legislative changes could not happen overnight but suggested that signalling a willingness to reform might help ease tensions with Washington. Without such steps, he warned, ongoing negotiations risk leaving the steep tariff in place — a blow to sectors like agriculture, which have been hardest hit.