Sixty days, 89% already on ordinary tariffs, and a help desk in Pretoria

On Monday, 2 November, President Trump notified Congress and the governments of South Africa and Rwanda that he intends to remove both countries from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as of 1 January 2027¹. AGOA is the US preference scheme that gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries generally duty-free access for qualifying goods². US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the annual review had found “concerning and pervasive practices”. For South Africa, the administration listed barriers to US trade and investment, corruption and “threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests”¹.

The reply that matters most for businesses came a day later, and it was not a speech. South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition published an FAQ for exporters². Its first point is a number. Already 89% of South African exports to the US enter under ordinary WTO most-favoured-nation tariffs, not under AGOA². Its second is a correction to the rumours: exports are not prohibited, and goods keep entering the US as long as they meet the usual customs and safety rules².

The notice period also works in both directions. In the ministry’s reading, the government has 60 days to address the issues Washington raised. If it does, South Africa stays in AGOA. If not, it leaves on 1 January². Desk arithmetic: 60 days from 2 November ends on 1 January.

Then comes the checklist. Confirm the HS code of each product. Check whether it qualifies for AGOA at all. Look up the MFN rate in the US tariff book. Review contracts and Incoterms. Talk to US buyers, because in the US the importer pays the duty². The ministry lists automotive parts, citrus, wine, macadamia nuts, clothing, chemicals and pharmaceuticals among the sectors that may be exposed, and it adds that “the actual impact will differ significantly” from product to product². It also tells exporters not to leave the US market².

If your company buys from South Africa, the useful work this week is ordinary. Find the tariff line, the Incoterm and the clause that says who pays if the duty changes on New Year’s Day.