Ramaphosa respond as South Africa dey di list of Trump new tax announcement for 14 countries

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa don oppose wetin e call di "unilateral" higher trade tariffs wey di US impose on im kontri.

US President Donald Trump on Monday, 7 July announce say im go sama new 30% tariff on imports from South Africa from 1 August.

For one letter to Ramaphosa, Trump tok say South Africa trade relationship wit di US "unfortunately, dey far from being mutual".

For im response, Ramaphosa maintain say di 30% tariff "no be accurate representation of available trade data".

Trump decision na big blow to South Africa. Di US na dia second-biggest trading partner, and South Africa automobile and farming sectors get duty-free access to di US market.

Trump send letters to South Africa and 13 oda kontris, e inform dem of im latest tariff plans.

Di US president say dem fit adjust di rates "upward or downward, depending on our relationship wit your kontri".

"We bin get years to discuss our trading relationship wit South Africa, and we don conclude say we must move away from dis long-term, trade deficits wey di South Africa tariff cause, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers," Trump tok for im letter.

"Starting on August 1, 2025, we go charge South Africa a tariff of only 30% on any and all South African products dem send to di United States, separate from all sectoral tariffs," e add.

Di Republican leader tok say if South Africa wan increase dia tariffs in response to im announcement, US go add di amount dem choose to raise am, on top di existing 30%.

"If you wish to open your heretofore closed trading markets to di United States, and eliminate your tariff and non-tariff policies and trade barriers, we go, perhaps, consider an adjustment to dis letter."

Ramaphosa react to new tariff

In response, Ramaphosa kick against di new tariffs, e say di issue still dey under consideration by negotiating teams from South Africa and di US.

"Dis 30% tariff na based on a particular interpretation of di balance of trade between South Africa and di United States," Ramaphosa tok for one statement.

E add say more dan half of di goods South Africa dey import from US no dey taxed, plus di average tariff on di rest na 7.6%

E say South Africa go continue wit dia diplomatic efforts to ensure a "more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship" wit di US.

For April, Trump bin impose one 30% tariff on South Africa, as part of im global "reciprocal" tariffs, bifor e agree to suspend dia implementation for 90 days.

List of kontris US announce new taxes for and wetin be di tariffs

Also on Monday, Trump bin send letters to di leaders of 14 kontris on social media, wey include Japan and South Korea, e inform dem of im latest tariff plans, as e add say dem fit modify di rates "upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country".

Most of di tariff rates for di letters bin dey similar to those e outline for April wen e make im "Liberation Day" announcement and threaten new wave of new taxes on goods from various kontris.

Di president bin renew im threat of a 25% tax on products wey dey enta di kontri from Japan and South Korea and share oda letters to world leaders warning of levies from 1 August.

Besides South Korea and Japan, Trump on Monday set out plans for a 40% tariff on goods from Myanmar and Laos, a 36% tariff on goods from Thailand and Cambodia, a 35% tariff on goods from Serbia and Bangladesh, a 32% tariff on Indonesia, a 30% tariff on goods from South Africa and a 25% tariff on goods from Malaysia and Tunisia.

Japan, South Korea and Thailand react to new tariffs

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday, 8 July tok say im goment go continue to follow US tok to agree to a deal wey go benefit both kontris.

"E dey deeply regrettable say di US government don announce further increase in tariffs, in addition to di rates dem already impose," e tok.

South Korea tok say dem bin plan to use di deadline extension to intensify tok-tok wit di US.

And Thailand finance minister say im dey confident say im kontri go fit reach an agreement to get tariff rate similar to those imposed to oda kontris.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tok say more letters go follow in di days ahead.

She argue di suggestion say di shifting tariff deadlines from 9 July to 1 August fit reduce di power of Trump threats.

So far, US don reach agreements wit di UK and Vietnam, as well as a partial deal wit China.

In all three of those cases, di agreements don raise tariffs compared wit levels bifor Trump bin return to di White House, while key issues still remain unresolved.

Di European Union (EU) also dey in talks.

Dem also dey look to reduce Trump 25% tariff on cars and parts, and a 50% tax on steel and aluminium.

On Monday, one tok-tok pesin say di European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen bin get a "good exchange" wit Trump. Just a few weeks ago, di US president bin threaten di EU wit a 50% tax unless dem reac agreement.

Last week, Trump say Japan fit face a "30% or 35%" tariff if di kontri fail to reach a deal wit di US by Wednesday.

Stocks for US bin fall afta Trump bin share di letters.