Mere hours after US President Donald Trump announced that South Africa would be subject to 30% “reciprocal tariffs”, the White House published a list of platinum-group metals that will be excluded from commodities facing import duties.
These include the following base metals (copper, zinc and manganese), precious metals such as gold, fertilisers and pesticides, various wood products including pulp and paper, as well as nickel products.
Exempting base metals such as platinum from the punishing tariffs was widely anticipated by South Africa’s mining industry as, without the commodity, the US automotive sector would not be able to manufacture component parts such as catalytic converters.
According to a report in News 24, trade data released by the South African Revenue Service shows that South Africa exported gold, platinum, diamonds, jewellery and precious metals worth R55 billion.
In addition, chrome and manganese worth R7 billion were exported, as well as R900 million-worth of nickel.
Coal will also not be subject to the new tariffs as it is an important part of Trump’s anti-decarbonisation drive.
Last year, energy exports from South Africa to the US totalled R2 billion, together with crude oil and petroleum.
The White House also lists semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and medical products as part of goods that will be exempt from the import tariffs.
The full list can be viewed here: “List non-tariff goods from SA”.
