US-South Africa relations at 'a low'
Tariffs of 30 percent – the highest on any sub-Saharan African country – are set to hit certain South African exports Friday in the absence of a trade deal, coming after months of escalating tensions over a range of domestic and international policies.
'In the past we have not had this situation where another government would want to interfere on a domestic issue like it is now,' Lamola said.
'Since the last 30 years, there have been disagreements with the US administration on a number of issues, but the diplomatic lines of engagement have always been open,' he said, adding relations had 'reached a low'.
Pretoria's ties with Washington plummeted after President Donald Trump took office in January.
South Africa's failure to reach a new trade deal to avoid the heavy levy on its US exports has been criticised at home, including by parties in the coalition government which have accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and his team of diplomatic missteps.
On top of disagreements over a range of issues, including South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, Washington in March expelled Pretoria's ambassador after he criticised Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
But Lamola told AFP that South Africa had done 'everything possible under the sun' to reach a deal on the tariffs, among those set to take effect against several countries from August 8.
'The trade department had signed what was provided to us (by Washington) as a non-disclosure agreement… and we are waiting to hear from the US,' he said.
Political disagreements – including on policies meant to redress racial inequalities that linger 30 years after the end of apartheid – had not come up in trade talks with the United States, he said.
'Issues outside trade have not yet been brought to the table, but if they arise, we will have to engage with them,' the minister said.
'It is important that we maintain our sovereignty and engage with the US at the level of a mutual sovereign state,' he added.
The looming tariffs could cost South Africa around 30 000 jobs, government officials said on Monday, with the United States its second-largest trading partner by country after China.
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By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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