The United States has imposed new Section 301 tariffs on dozens of trading partners, including South Africa, over what it says is inadequate enforcement of measures to prevent imports produced through forced labour.
The tariffs came into effect on Friday, 24 July, under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. South Africa has been placed in the higher tariff category and will face a 12.5% duty on affected exports to the United States.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) grouped South Africa with countries including China, Japan and South Korea after concluding that their enforcement of bans on forced-labour imports did not meet US standards.
The measures form part of a broader action targeting 60 economies that the Trump administration says have failed to effectively prohibit the importation of goods produced using forced labour.
US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said the decision followed months of investigations, consultations with governments, public hearings and thousands of public submissions.
Greer said President Donald Trump believes decades of international efforts have failed to eliminate forced labour from global supply chains. He noted that the United States has enforced a ban on imports produced through forced labour for nearly a century and said it is time for trading partners to strengthen their own enforcement measures.
He added that the tariffs are intended to address both human rights concerns and unfair trade practices while improving protections for workers.
The USTR launched investigations into the 60 economies on 12 March 2026 at the direction of President Trump. Public hearings were held in April, during which officials consulted with more than 45 governments, including South Africa.
On 2 June, the USTR concluded that the countries investigated had failed to adequately prohibit and enforce restrictions on imports made with forced labour, describing the situation as unreasonable and harmful to US commerce.
Following the investigations, the agency proposed tariffs, received more than 1,600 written submissions and heard evidence from over 100 witnesses before making its final determination.
A senior Trump administration official described the move as the most extensive international labour rights action ever undertaken by the United States.
The official also confirmed that the new Section 301 tariffs will not be added to existing Section 232 duties already imposed on products such as steel and aluminium.
South Africa attempted to avoid the tariffs through diplomatic engagement. A delegation led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) appeared before the USTR during the public hearings, arguing that South Africa already has legislation prohibiting forced labour and the importation of goods produced under such conditions.
The DTIC said South Africa highlighted its legal framework, including laws prohibiting forced labour, its ratification of key International Labour Organisation conventions, and legislation empowering authorities to block imports linked to forced labour.
The department also pointed to the International Trade Administration Act and the Customs and Excise Act, which allow authorities to prohibit, detain and seize restricted goods at South Africa's borders. It further noted that products made through prison labour are already banned under Section 113 of the Customs and Excise Act.
Despite these submissions, the United States proceeded with the tariffs without granting South Africa an exemption.
The new 12.5% tariff is expected to impact several of South Africa's key export sectors to the US, including the automotive industry, agriculture, metals and manufacturing.
However, some products will remain exempt from the latest measures. Goods already subject to separate US sector-specific tariffs, including steel, aluminium, certain fertilisers and energy products, will not face the additional Section 301 levy.