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Solidarity says the possibility of South Africa being removed from AGOA before Christmas is growing by the day.

The White House is currently reviewing the list of participating countries, with an announcement expected by 1 November 2026. Concerns about South Africa’s participation have intensified over the past week as the diplomatic dispute between South Africa and the United States (US) has escalated.

Statements made by Minister Ronald Lamola during his visit to the US, as well as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)’s decision yesterday to summon the US ambassador for a diplomatic reprimand, now create the necessary scope for the US to remove South Africa as a participating country.
 
According to Solidarity, this could affect up to 250,000 jobs that are partially or fully dependent on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). More than 500,000 jobs in South Africa depend on trade with the US.

Solidarity says it is deeply concerned that ending South Africa’s participation in AGOA could now form part of the US’s escalating actions against South Africa. Exclusion from AGOA would be a swift and clear punitive measure that could be announced within weeks.
 
Solidarity considers the situation serious enough to treat it as an emergency and is calling on the South African government to resume talks and negotiations with the US government, with the aim of reaching an agreement before 1 November. Solidarity remains convinced that the two countries can find common ground but believes that DIRCO’s actions are increasingly being viewed as hostile in Washington.
 
According to Dr Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive of Solidarity, the US is one of South Africa’s most important trading partners. Any disruption to trade between the two countries could have significant indirect consequences for industries and workers across the country.
 
“The South African government has four weeks left to prevent the country from being kicked out of AGOA. South Africa’s diplomatic stance towards the US is reckless. Minister Lamola’s recent statements were yet another confirmation of this.

"So too was his failure to seek solutions to the diplomatic dispute during his visit to the US, instead creating the impression through selective meetings in Washington and New York that South Africa is aligning itself with opponents of the Trump administration.

"Minister Lamola has probably driven the final nail into the coffin of South Africa’s AGOA participation. Our participation in AGOA is in danger, but solutions are still possible,” says Hermann.
 
AGOA provides countries in sub-Saharan Africa with duty-free benefits for the export of certain products. There are specific requirements for participation. These include free trade, upholding the rule of law, sound labour practices, and the requirement that participating countries do not undermine US foreign policy or national security interests.
 
“In Solidarity’s discussions with the US government, they have indicated that race-based laws place a serious trade restriction on US businesses and that these are not regarded as an acceptable labour practice.

"There are also serious concerns about South Africa’s foreign policy, which the Americans regard as hostile. The South African government’s domestic and foreign policies threaten not only our participation in AGOA, but also the jobs of hundreds of thousands of people and the incomes of six times as many dependants,” Hermann said.

Issued by Solidarity