Responding swiftly, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sharply pushed back, labelling the tariff a "contested interpretation" of the current trade reality. In a statement from his office, Ramaphosa highlighted that South Africa's average tariff on imports is a modest 7.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has opposed what he calls the "unilateral" higher trade tariffs imposed on his country by the US. US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would subject imports from South Africa to a new 30% tariff from 1 August.

As the only sub-Saharan country on the list of latest trade tariffs the Trump administration threatens to impose, South Africa could be hit with 30% tariffs on its exports to the US from 1 August.