Country Info: South Africa
Bilateral Trade by Sector: United States - South Africa
Value ('1000 dollars), US 'domestic exports' *, US 'imports for consumption' / Includes year-to-date data
Economic Background
South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world.
Economic growth has decelerated in recent years, slowing to an estimated 0.7% in 2017. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality - among the highest in the world - remain a challenge. Official unemployment is roughly 27% of the workforce, and runs significantly higher among black youth.
Even though the country's modern infrastructure supports a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, unstable electricity supplies retard growth. Eskom, the state-run power company, is building three new power stations and is installing new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability but has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement and corruption and faces an increasingly high debt burden.
South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation while empowering a broader economic base; however, the country faces structural constraints that also limit economic growth, such as skills shortages, declining global competitiveness, and frequent work stoppages due to strike action.
The government faces growing pressure from urban constituencies to improve the delivery of basic services to low-income areas, to increase job growth, and to provide university level-education at affordable prices. Political infighting among South Africa’s ruling party and the volatility of the rand risks economic growth.
International investors are concerned about the country’s long-term economic stability; in late 2016, most major international credit ratings agencies downgraded South Africa’s international debt to junk bond status.
Agricultural products
sugar cane, maize, milk, potatoes, grapes, poultry, oranges, wheat, soybeans, beef
Industries
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate
1.2% (2017 est.)
(Source: World Factbook, 2021)
View a selection of related documents
SARS April 2021 Update Guide on e-filing (incl. for AGOA purposes)
Changes to Customs Registration Licensing and DesignationThe second phase of the systems enhancements to the Registration, Licensing and Accreditation (RLA) system has been implemented whereby the following categories of Customs clients can now also apply for registration or licensing electronically via eFiling: Approved exporters; Customs warehouses (excluding CCA Enterprise storage warehouses); Manufacturers in terms of AGOA; Producers...
FAQ on SARS new registration, licensing and accreditation system
FAQ document on the South African Revenue Services (SARS) new registration, licensing and accreditation system.
South Africa under GSP country review: what implications for preferential exports to the United States?
On 25 March 2019, the United States Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a notice through the Federal Register on its annual Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) product and country review. This is a relatively routine review process relating to the country’s nonreciprocal trade preference scheme(s). Exactly seven months later, on 25 October 2019, the USTR announced GSP “enforcement action” relating to seven...
USITC 23 January 2018 Hearings - His Excellency Mninwa J. Mahlangu, Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
US Trade and Investment with Sub-Saharan Africa: Recent Developments
South Africa Government gazette - tariff rebate on US chicken imports
A temporary rebate provision under rebate item 460.03/0207.14.9/01.07 has been created for frozen meat of the species Gallus domesticus, cut in pieces with bone in, classifiable in tariff subheading 0207.14.9 and imported from or originating in the United States of America. This is created for such quantities, at such times and subject to such conditions as the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) may allow by specific permit...
DRAFT guidelines for for the application of a DAFF quota allocation import permit
ITAC - DRAFT guidelines for for the application of a DAFF quota allocation (for imports of poultry) permit - 30 Oct 2015. Background: The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and National Chicken Council (NCC) agreed on an annual quota of 65 000 MT (the quota) of bone-in chicken pieces, classifiable under tariff subheading 0207.14.9, that can be imported into South Africa without...
Copy of letter by Senators Coons and Isakson to Pres Zuma re poultry
Copy of letter sent by US Senators Coons and Isakson to South Africa's President Zuma, September 2015. This relates to the 'poultry' issue in the context of the South Africa Out-Of-Cycle Review under AGOA. The Senators urged South African President Jacob Zuma to act expeditiously to resolve remaining elements of the US-South Africa agreement reached in Paris earlier this year and allow US poultry exports to South Africa to resume.
South Africa - United States (TIFA) Agreement
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between South Africa and the United States.
View related news articles
US and South Africa's Western Cape province mark 6 month anniversary of trade and investment promotion partnership
The U.S. Consulate General in Cape Town and the Western Cape Government marked the first six months of the Trade and Investment Promotion Partnership, launched in February 2021. The partnership deepens bilateral cooperation and coordination to promote and increase bilateral trade and investment through various engagements, events, and high-level interactions. It reflects the United States’ role as the top foreign direct investor in the...
11 August 2021
'Funding challenges undermine SMEs’ growth in Africa'
Analysts who spoke at a recent webinar organised by the American Business Council in Nigeria, in collaboration with US Chamber of Commerce, Amcham Ghana and Amcham South Africa on the US-Africa relations, have identified lack of adequate funding as a major challenge to the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. The analysts were of the view that SMEs across Africa are faced with serious funding challenges, despite their...
30 July 2021
'The renewal: US-Africa relationship'
In his first allocution to African leaders at the virtual African Union Summit in February, recently elected United States President, Joe Biden, reiterated his administration’s commitment to rebuilding partnerships with Africa and re-engaging with international institutions such as the African Union. Biden set out his foreign policy priorities, pointing towards multilateralism and a healthier US-Africa relationship. Within days of his...
13 April 2021
SA president to meet with US Chamber of Commerce over investment
President Cyril Ramaphosa will participate in a virtual business and investment roundtable on Tuesday (10 November) with representatives from three major business organisations from the United States. The organisations are the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), and the US Chamber of Commerce. “The president will be supported by South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States, Ms...
10 November 2020
Opinion: 'Trump vs. Biden: This is how it could impact South African agriculture'
As the race for the White House continues, agriculture leaders say a win for Democrat Joe Biden will strengthen and fast-track trade relations between South Africa and the United States. Currently, the race between pres. Donald Trump and Biden hinges on tight races in battleground states. Trump has already falsely claimed victory while Biden called for patience and every vote to be counted. Meanwhile Mzansi’s [>South Africa<]...
05 November 2020
Will the US presidential elections impact South Africa’s economic recovery?
With over 6.29million recorded cases worldwide and over 380,00 deaths, its safe to say the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the globe as we know it. Although Africa has, for the most part, managed to avoid an exponential spread of the disease, the overall recovery of the country and more specifically South Africa, hangs in the balance due to a number of factors. Long delays with vital decisions The country has experienced over...
27 July 2020
'South Africa must get ready for an inevitable loosening of trade ties with the US'
In six months’ time the world’s gaze will be trained on what is gearing up to be a contentious and hotly contested presidential election in the US. Irrespective of who emerges victorious between the incumbent President Donald Trump and the Democratic nominee Joe Biden South Africa needs to start thinking about what it stands to lose – or gain – from the new administration’s stance. This is especially so in the area of economic...
02 June 2020
Former US negotiator: US-Kenya deal could spur regional value chains
A trade deal with the U.S. could help both Kenya and its neighbors in the East African Community by fostering the development of regional value chains, a former U.S. trade official tells Inside U.S. Trade. “I think it’d be really fascinating as we go forward with this U.S.-Kenya FTA to see what’s going to be possible not just for Kenya but for other African countries in various sectors,” Florie Liser, a former assistant U.S. Trade...
10 February 2020
South Africa GSP country review hearings: programme and witness list
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OFFICE OF THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE PUBLIC COUNTRY PRACTICE HEARING U.S. GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP) Held at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative 1724 F Street, N.W. Washington D.C., Rooms 1 and 2 January 31, 2020 Program and Witness List - Final Welcome and Introduction 10:00 am Ms. Laura Buffo, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for GSP and Chair of the GSP...
29 January 2020
South Africa will caution Trump on ‘premature’ trade review
South Africa’s government will tell President Donald Trump’s administration that its review of a preferential trade agreement that could put as much as $2.4 billion in exports at risk is premature and potentially damaging for both economies. The U.S. Trade Representative will start public hearings on Thursday [see submissions and hearing schedule here] to review the nation’s duty-free access to the U.S. market under the...
29 January 2020
SA business organisation asks president to delay enactment of two Bills to ensure continued US trade benefits
Business organisation Sakeliga has requested President Cyril Ramaphosa to delay the enactment of two Bills of Parliament, which it says could potentially jeopardise 40% of South Africa’s exports to the US. The relevant Bills are the Copyright Amendment Bill (B13B-2017) and the Performer’s Protection Bill (B24B-2016). Sakeliga’s open letter on Monday follows an announcement made last week by the Office of the US Trade...
28 October 2019