Trump’s tariffs: South Africa’s motor industry fears the worst
Losing duty-free access to the US market under Trump’s ‘America first’ regime will put the local automotive industry into a dangerous skid
03 April 2025 - 05:00
Will he or won’t he? The South African motor industry was this week still waiting to learn the potential effects of US President Donald Trump’s global automotive trade war. With more than 10% of South Africa’s automotive exports going to the US, the industry is at considerable risk.
Trapped between a struggling domestic market, uncertain export demand, dramatic (and enormously costly) technology changes and an often hostile local policy environment, the industry can ill afford to lose its preferential access to such an important trade partner...
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