Ramaphosa to exporters: Don’t put all your eggs in the US basket

Ramaphosa

Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent diversification of South Africa’s export markets in light of the United States’ decision to impose hefty tariffs on local goods.

Speaking at BMW’s 50-year investment celebration at its Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the move by the US government serves as a wake-up call for the country’s exporters.

“The recent announcements on tariffs by the United States, an important market for our vehicle exports, further underscore the need to diversify our export base and accelerate domestic value creation,” he said.

Under US President Donald Trump’s trade policies, South African imports have been slapped with a 30% tariff, sparking concern over the long-term costs of relying heavily on the American market.

Ramaphosa stressed that not only automotive manufacturers, but exporters across all sectors, should explore new frontiers—particularly on the African continent.

“As we face this threat of the tariffs, we need to open our eyes and see where can the X3 go. It’s good that the X3 will be going to Europe, but we need to open up the African market as well,” he said.

The president highlighted Africa as a high-potential growth area, saying increased intra-African trade would help local industries expand, create jobs, and contribute positively to GDP.

The event was held under the theme: “Leading Today, Enabling Tomorrow.”

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