The forced local discounts on scrap steel are being reviewed! Yaayyy
Minister Tau issued a policy directive to ITAC instructing them to review the Price Preference System (PPS) on scrap steel. The PPS is a sneaky subsidy programme which forces generators of scrap metal to subsidise the…
An application for an increase in the dollar-based reference price (DBRP) for wheat
Grain SA and the South African Cereal and Oilseed Trade Association (SACOTA) brought the application for the increase in the Dollar-based Reference Price (DBRP) on wheat, classifiable under tariff subheading 1101.00.10. In their application, the applicants…
Steel Safeguard Duties: 13% Today, 9% by 2027
South Africa is rolling out a phased plan for safeguard duties on certain hot-rolled steel products—starting with a 13% duty as of 2 May 2025, then reducing it to 11% in 2026, and finally to 9%…
More US section 232 investigations underway – WTF is going on?
The US government has initiated six section 232 investigations since the start of 2025 (nine if you count steel, aluminium and automotive, which saw duties change or implemented without a new investigation). Frustratingly, we are not…
Who actually gets government support in the steel sector?
ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) burnt through R1.9 billion in 2024, which I think we can all agree, is a lot of money, especially for a company with a market capitalisation of R1.1 billion, raising their total…
ITAC has just initiated a very big renewable energy tariff, localisation and import / export review
ITAC just spoiled your next long weekend because you now need to attend our free webinar on the brand new review of the renewable energy value chain. It covers R59 billion worth of imports, under 82…
Environmental levy adjustments on carbon emissions.
The South African government amended Part 3F of Schedule 1 of the Customs and Excise Act of 1964 on 11 April 2025, as published in Government Gazette no. 52491. This amendment adjusted environmental levy items 157.01,…
Caustic soda rebate, duty increase application on grooved steel couplings and rock drilling parts
Caustic soda rebate created If you import caustic soda to make soda lye, then you can now not pay the duties on caustic soda, by using the new manufacturing rebate. Click here for more information on…
Customs Update: Revised Import Duties on Wheat and Sugar
On 4 April 2025, the South African Ministry of Finance introduced significant tariff amendments to wheat, wheat flour, and sugar. The duties on wheat were reduced from 42.20c/kg to 18.35c/kg and on wheat flour from 63.29c/kg…
The Trump Thump. What now US dollar?
With a stroke of his fat koki pen, President Trump has done more to harm the dollar’s reserve status than anything Xi, Putin or anyone else could do. Although its reserve status was an outcome of…
Approval of Caustic Soda rebate!
On the 4 April 2025, ITAC published an amendment of Schedule 3 of the Customs and Excise Act of 1964 granting a full duty rebate on sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) under tariff heading 2815.11 African Chemicals…
Trump imposes 30% tariff on South African exports!
This is very bad indeed. XA will be doing analysis on this over the next few days, but in the interim here are my initial views. We’ll put out something more polished a little later. Oh,…
After this review, our steel industry will not look the same
Government policies are an attempt to change how the market behaves (importing too much? Let’s impose an import duty.) When government, in 2012, decided to move money from packaging companies, car makers, and steel fabricators to…
Another anti-dumping investigation on steel!
It has been a year for the steel industry, and we are still in March! Following last week’s announcement of the biggest ever tariff review on steel (read more here), ITAC is back with another initiation.…
Massive promised steel tariff (and much more) review kicks off!
ITAC have just initiated the biggest tariff review in their 22 year history, on steel. This is about much more than just tariffs, but it most definitely also includes tariffs. The scope of the review is…
Provisional anti-dumping duties imposed on fasteners from China
On 26 July 2024 ITAC initiated an anti-dumping investigation on set screws and hexagon bolts classifiable under tariff subheadings 7213.15.39 and 7318.15.49, from China. Although a number of producers of the subject product in China responded…
R2.5 billion roasted groundnut industry closes because a decision could not be taken on their tariff application
A customs tariff increase application on roasted groundnut imports classifiable under subheadings 2008.11.20 and 2008.11.90 from 0.99c/kg (0.033% ad valorem equivalent) to 20% was withdrawn by the South African Groundnuts Forum because they have closed their…
Sunset review of anti-dumping duties on Disodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) originating in or imported from the USA
The International Trade Administration Commission initiated a sunset review of anti-dumping duties imposed on Disodium Carbonate (Soda ash), tariff subheading 2836.20, originating from the United States of America, on the 07 March 2025. There have been…
Alleged circumvention of anti-dumping duties on windscreens from China
On 7 March 2025, ITAC initiated an investigation into the alleged circumvention of anti-dumping duties on windscreens for vehicles, classifiable under tariff subheading 7007.21.20, imported from China for use as replacement glass. Additionally, an investigation into…
US trade policy (or the lack of): aggressive trade policy approach
A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada was effected on 4 March 2025 with the exception of Canadian energy, which was charged at a lower rate of 10%. An additional 10% has also been imposed on…
How about a temporary VAT increase?
Here are the facts about South Africa’s budget: For the last 15 years or so, the government has consistently spent more than it has collected in taxes, creating what is becoming an unsustainable level of debt.…
The end of an era for ArcelorMittal South Africa longs business?
ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa)’s longs business has initiated its closure process following continued engagements with the government and other stakeholders to find solutions on issues affecting the competitiveness of the longs business. Amsa is unable to…
Our budget problems are not caused by Sacu
Whether we should be part of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) is a valid debate, but it is incorrect to count the transfers made by South Africa to the other Sacu states as a straightforward…
Hot-rolled steel: Dumping and injury found, but no provisional duties imposed
On 20 September 2024, ITAC initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports tariff sub-headings 7208.10, 7208.25, 7208.26, 7208.27, 7208.36, 7208.37, 7208.38, 7208.39, 7208.51, 7208.52, 7225.30 and 7225.40, flat-rolled steel products from China, Japan, and Taiwan. The subject…
The day Trump outsourced tariff policy to America’s trading partners
Make a note of 13 February 2025, for this is the day that President Donald Trump outsourced tariff policy to his trading partners. In this announcement, he signed a Presidential Memorandum (no doubt with a very…
What happens when we lose access to AGOA?
I will eat my hat if we get to the end of 2025 and SA still benefits from the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa), the US legislation giving preferential access to the American market for…
Zimbabwe Active Yeast: Anti-dumping duties suspended, subject to a price undertaking agreement
In April 2024, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) initiated an investigation into the alleged dumping of yeast classifiable under tariff subheading 2102.10, originating in or imported from Zimbabwe by Lesaffre Zimbabwe, a surprisingly unusual move…
China takes America to the WTO (sort of)
China initiated a WTO dispute complaint regarding the 10 % US tariff imposed, which means the dispute consultations are set to begin. In the document submitted by China, circulated to WTO members on 5th February, China…
Is Botswana vegetable import ban a good policy?
The vegetable import ban policy in Botswana is not the right policy at the moment and here is why. Crop production in Botswana is limited to small areas as only 3% of the country’s land is…
Sunset Review of anti-dumping duties on clear float glass originating from Saudi Arabia and the UAE
On 31 January 2025, ITAC initiated a sunset review of anti-dumping duties imposed on clear float glass (2.5mm to 6mm thick), tariff subheadings 7005.29.17, 7005.29.23, 7005.29.25, 7005.29.35 originating from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.…