South Africa says relations with US 'reached a low'

USA's attempts to interfere with South Africa's domestic issues have brought relations between the nations to "a low", Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told AFP in an interview on Tuesday.

Tariffs of 30% – the highest on any Sub-Saharan African country – are set to hit certain South African exports on Friday in the absence of a trade deal, coming after months of escalating tensions over a range of domestic and international policies.

"In the past we have not had this situation where another government would want to interfere on a domestic issue like it is now," Lamola said.

"Since the last 30 years, there have been disagreements with the US administration on a number of issues, but the diplomatic lines of engagement have always been open," he said, adding relations had "reached a low."

Fallout over Israel genocide case

Pretoria's ties with Washington deteriorated after President Donald Trump took office in January.

On top of disagreements over a range of issues, including South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Washington in March expelled Pretoria's ambassador after he criticised Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

But Lamola told AFP that South Africa had done "everything possible under the sun" to reach a deal on the tariffs, among those set to take effect against several countries from August 8.

"The trade department had signed what was provided to us (by Washington) as a non-disclosure agreement... and we are waiting to hear from the US," he said.

Sovereignty

"It is important that we maintain our sovereignty and engage with the US at the level of a mutual sovereign state," he added.

The looming tariffs could cost South Africa around 30,000 jobs, government officials said on Monday, with the United States its second-largest trading partner by country after China.