Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau reports that government will publish a Gazette notice requesting public comments on South Africa’s intent to issue regulations to prohibit goods produced using forced labour and child labour.
The move follows a decision by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to impose tariffs of 12.5% on those South African exports not specifically exempted from such duties, or which are already subjected to other tariffs.
South Africa was one of 60 countries on which tariffs of between 10% and 12.5% were imposed following a USTR investigation under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, which examines whether a country’s policies or practices are discriminatory and burden or restrict US commerce.
In this case, the focus was on practices related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.
The investigation was initiated on March 12 after the US Supreme Court's decision to invalidate President Donald Trump's so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, which were imposed in 2025 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
