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ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula
It’s not yet clear whether South Africa and the US have reached a deal on tariffs.
This follows US President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 30% tariff on imported South African products with effect from today if a deal is not reached.
South Africa faces the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa.
Other African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Lesotho and Zimbabwe have been hit with 15% tariff each.
Meanwhile, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula says South Africa will not abandon its policies to appease the US.
He briefed the media in Johannesburg yesterday.
“The President of the USA we [went] to see him. He plays video for us there and says on the basis of videos the whole of our nation must be punished. Despite the fact that facts say something different but they are not retreating and coerce us to do things that are anti-transformation is not possible.”
“If it means we are going to suffer through sanctions as leaders of the ANC let it be, we will never beg imperialists to subvert our democracy, to subvert our sovereignty. We will never forsake our country which we fought for its liberation. If they want to bring sanctions on us let them bring them,” adds Mbalula.
