On 22 May 2025, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) announced an expansion to the scope of its self-initiated investigation regarding the customs duty rate on various footwear products under Chapter 64 of the Customs and Excise Act, No. 91 of 1964. This expansion follows ITAC’s original investigation launched on 22 November 2024, which proposed raising the alternate specific duty from 500 cents to 2 000 cents per unit while maintaining the current ad valorem rate of 30%.
Background and purpose of the expansion
The extension was due to concerns raised by South Africa’s domestic safety footwear manufacturers. Industry stakeholders noted that only 4 of the original 27 tariff lines under review applied to safety footwear and requested broader inclusion to ensure equitable protection. In response, ITAC is now considering the addition of tariff subheadings 6401.10, 6401.99.10, 6401.99.90, 6403.40, and 6403.99.40 into the investigation. As part of the investigation, ITAC is also calling for public comment on whether the proposed R50 per pair specific duty on safety footwear may exceed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) bound rate of 30% ad valorem. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their representations using the prescribed questionnaire available on ITAC’s website.