South Africa unveils tariff hikes and state-led revival plan for steel industry /

Published: Jul 10, 2026 16:40

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measures to support the country's steel industry, which it described as facing an "emergency situation" driven by global overcapacity, including raising import tariffs on a wide range of upstream and downstream steel products by between 10% and 30% to align with South Africa's WTO bound rates. The measures aim to protect domestic producers such as ArcelorMittal South Africa and Columbus Stainless, boost demand for locally made steel, and accelerate the sector's transition to greener production technologies. The announcement comes as South African steel exporters simultaneously face tighter access to the EU market following the bloc's July 1 safeguard overhaul, which cut duty-free quotas and imposed a 50% tariff on volumes above quota. South Africa has also separately sought an extension of a 90-day pause on threatened US reciprocal tariffs of 31% on its exports, which was due to expire around July 9. Details of the state-led revival plan's implementation timeline were not fully specified

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