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'Our generation is hungry for change' - ANCYL wants Ramaphosa to take 'decisive' action in US tariff saga

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) on Tuesday called on African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa to be swift and decisive in implementing support mechanisms for exporters and in efforts to expand South Africa's trade markets in response to the punitive tariffs announced by the US.

ANCYL secretary general Mntuwoxolo Ngudle criticised the President and the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) for past commitments with a lack of implementation.

"Too often, progressive policy announcements are not matched by practical execution," he said.

Last week, US President Donald Trump confirmed that reciprocal tariffs of 30% would be implemented on South African goods from August 7.

During the closing session of the ANC NEC meeting held in Ekurhuleni on Monday, Ramaphosa acknowledged that while government must urgently and purposefully act to limit the impact of the US tariffs, it must also undertake measures to ensure the resilience of the country's economy and exports into the future.

"We will continue our engagements with the United States with a view of normalising trade relations and generally strengthening bilateral relations. At the same time, we must invest in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and diversifying our export markets," Ramaphosa said.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is working on several interventions to assist and support various exporters to other markets.

"We are pleased that the producers and exporters are working with our government to find a solution. We began a discussion on the issue of monetary policy and specifically the role and value of inflation targeting," Ramaphosa said.

Ngudle said the ANCYL welcomed the reaffirmation of industrial policy as an overarching policy instrument within which macro and microeconomic policy will be subordinated, along with the commitment to build a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient economy.

He said the announcement of export quotas, export restrictions of raw commodities, including export taxes and other interventions to assist value-added producers and exporters was of great significance to the ANCYL

"…this is a clear response to one of the long-standing demands of the ANCYL, that our economy must not be left at the mercy of unregulated global markets but must be actively protected and reshaped in the interests of transformative, inclusive growth; youth-empowering reindustrialisation and job creation," Ngudle said.

The Youth League called on the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and all relevant State entities to move from policy discussion to action, with concrete timelines, transparency, and public accountability.

"The time for talk is over. Our generation is hungry for change and cannot afford to wait any longer. The ANCYL will monitor this process closely and will not hesitate to hold the government accountable for the full and urgent implementation of the commitments made," stated Ngudle.

Solidarity Movement blames ANC for failed US trade deal, to make own proposal

The Solidarity Movement on Monday took to task the African National Congress (ANC) for failing to promote relations with the US and implement significant reforms to prevent high tariffs.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that reciprocal tariffs of 30% would be implemented on South African goods from August 7.

Solidarity Movement chairperson Flip Buys claimed that the country would "pay the price" for inaction by the ANC.

"We will continue to engage with our networks in America in an effort to convince them not to punish the country if the ANC misbehaves," he said.

On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter to the nation that all channels of communication remained open to engage with the US.

"Our foremost priority is protecting our export industries.

"We will continue to engage the US in an attempt to preserve market access for our products," Ramaphosa writes, while highlighting that South Africa's trade relations had historically been complementary in nature.

"South African exports do not compete with US producers and do not pose a threat to US industry," he said arguing that US consumers received choice and cost benefits.

Government has also submitted a framework deal to the US that aims to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment relations.

Meanwhile, trade union Solidarity said in light of the failed trade deal, it would send its own framework for a trade agreement between South Africa and the US to Ramaphosa and Trump.

Solidarity chief executive Dr Dirk Hermann noted that the White House had indicated that the tariffs may be reconsidered if a trade agreement between the two countries could be reached, highlighting that its proposed framework would demonstrate that such an agreement was indeed feasible.

Court to hear Ramaphosa's application in apartheid-era crimes case

The Pretoria High Court will on Wednesday hear an application brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government seeking to reinstate their opposition in the constitutional damages case filed by 25 families and survivors of apartheid-era crimes in January.

With assistance from non-profit Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) and law firm Webber Wentzel, the families took government to court over the matter, seeking R167-million in constitutional damages for the government's "gross failure" to adequately investigate and prosecute apartheid-era political crimes following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The families also want disclosed the names of the African National Congress (ANC) politicians "who decided that the activists must not be granted justice".

The government is requesting either a postponement or a stay of the main application, pending the outcome of the judicial commission of inquiry that Ramaphosa announced, to determine whether there were any attempts to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes, relating to the investigation and prosecution of TRC cases.

While the families, survivors, and the FHR welcomed the establishment of the commission of inquiry, they have raised serious concerns about its terms of reference.

The families, survivors, and the FHR strongly oppose government's application to delay the constitutional damages case and believe that the commission of inquiry, being an advisory and fact-finding body, cannot substitute the role of the courts in determining disputes concerning constitutional rights.

The victims' families said the commission lacked the authority to adjudicate rights violations or award remedies and may only make recommendations to the President, who is both a respondent in the court proceedings and a key figure in the commission itself.

They believe there is, therefore, a conflict of interest on the President's part.

Meanwhile, the survivors also welcomed the recent judgment dismissing the application by former President Thabo Mbeki and Minister of Justice Bridgette Mabandla to intervene as respondents in the constitutional damages case.

Mbeki and Mabandla are seeking leave to intervene on the basis that they have a direct and substantial interest in the proceedings.

They deny that political interference stopped the TRC cases and claim that the application is defamatory.

Former National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials had stated that alleged interference from Mbeki's government resulted in the NPA ending TRC investigations into apartheid crimes for which offenders were denied amnesty.

Manufacturing PMI returns to growth in July amid demand rebound, but jobs and outlook weaken

The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) edged above the 50-point mark and recorded an expansion for the first time in nine months, increasing by 2.3 points to 50.8 in July, driven by a relatively strong recovery in demand, Absa said on August 1.

The last time the headline PMI was in expansionary territory was in October 2024 at 52.6 points.

Absa reported that new sales orders rose by 9.7 points to 55.9 in July, recording a third consecutive month of improvement. This indicated a much stronger recovery in demand at the start of the third quarter.

Export sales also showed a significant increase, albeit from a low base, suggesting that manufacturers remained cautious amid regulations and ongoing trade negotiations.

The improvement in demand contributed to a modest uptick in production, with the business activity index increasing by 5.2 points to 47.1 in July. However, the index remained below the neutral 50-point mark for the ninth consecutive month, indicating continued contraction in overall activity levels.

The supplier deliveries index increased by 1.4 points to 56.4 in July. Absa attributed this to the strong increase in new orders, which typically leads to longer delivery times and some delays. The longer delivery times, while not always positive in other contexts, may indicate rising demand placing pressure on suppliers.

Despite the recovery in demand and the resulting uptick in production, employment levels deteriorated. The employment index declined by six points in July, reaching 43.7. This reversed the gains made in June and returned the index to levels last seen earlier in the year.

Absa stated that the weak employment level may be owing to the slow recovery in activity, which, despite recent gains, remained in contractionary territory. This signalled that manufacturers may be waiting for a more sustained and robust recovery in demand before increasing their workforce.

Cost pressures mounted during the month, with the purchasing price index rising by 1.2 points in July. This reflected the increased cost of some input materials. Absa linked this to a rise in global crude oil prices, which pushed up domestic fuel prices.

Petrol and diesel prices increased by between 52c/ℓ and 84c/ℓ, depending on the grade. Nevertheless, Absa noted that the current level of the purchasing price index remained the second-lowest in more than eight years, suggesting that, despite the uptick, broader input cost pressures were still relatively subdued.

In currency markets, the rand remained relatively stable throughout July, trading below R18 to the dollar. This occurred despite ongoing global uncertainty, which has generally contributed to volatility in emerging market currencies.

The index tracking expected business conditions in six months' time declined from 62.5 points in June to 56.4 in July. Although still above the neutral 50-point level, the direction of the index suggested that manufacturers anticipated an increasingly volatile and challenging trading environment on both the global and domestic fronts.

Absa said the drop in future expectations pointed to growing concerns among manufacturers regarding the sustainability of the recent recovery in demand and the broader economic outlook.

DA blames Tau, Lamola for failure to secure US trade deal, as negotiations continue

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Friday that it is disappointed with Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola for failing to secure a trade deal with the US, as an executive order from the White House on Thursday made clear that US-imposed tariffs are now a certainty, to be levied on South African goods and produce from August 7.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump informed South Africa of his intention to impose a 30% tariff on South African products exported to the US, separate from sectoral tariffs, from Friday.

South Africa was among several countries to receive letters from Trump, setting out planned tariffs to take effect from Friday.

Trump initially announced a tariff on South African exports to the US in April but then agreed to a three-month delay to discuss trade relations with its trading partners.

South Africa has since been scrambling to secure a trade deal with Trump, with the most recent reports that Lamola was in Washington to ensure this.

The DA believes the "no deal" scenario is owing to negligence, failed diplomacy and ineptitude.

"The SA negotiators missed their first deadline to submit trade terms to the US, and after missing the deadline were forced to ask for an extension," the DA claimed.

The party noted that with the confirmation of the tariff, Tau had no contingency plan.

"Last night he offered up a laughable 'help desk' for fearful exporters to telephone, instead of any tangible trade solutions. The context of South Africa's US trade deal failure is that across the globe Minister Tau is neglecting our country's trade representatives. Vacancies for SA trade representatives in 30 countries abroad show that Minister Tau is asleep at the wheel," the DA stated.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa would continue negotiating with the US, stating that South Africa's negotiators were "ready" pending invitation from the US.

"In the meantime, government is finalising a package to support companies that are vulnerable to the reciprocal tariffs. The package consists of several measures to assist companies, producers and workers affected by the tariffs on SA exports to the US. The details of the measures will be announced in due course," he said.

Government has also submitted a framework deal to the US that aims to enhance mutually beneficial trade and investment relations.

NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE

Ramaphosa pointed out that South Africa would continue to pursue all diplomatic efforts to safeguard its national interests.

"To this end, government will intensify its diversification strategy to create resilience of our economy and is working with export councils and industry associations, as well as top exporters to the US with a view to assist with alternative markets. In this regard, an Export Support Desk to provide updates on development and provide advisory services to exporters has been established. The details are to be published by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) on its website," he said.

However, the DA rather wants the Government of National Unity to move economic policy away from black economic empowerment towards stronger equity equivalence models to ensure that local communities benefit from investment and not political officials.

The DA vowed to use its role in national and provincial government to negotiate trade alternatives, and said its members in Parliament will bring "unrelenting pressure" on the dtic and Department of International Relations and Cooperation to "correct their wrongs".

The DA said it strongly supported the efforts of Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen to seek out and secure diverse alternative markets for South Africa's agricultural exporters.

The party also believes South Africa needs a new Ambassador to the US.

"This demands the urgent appointment of a career...

Firoz Cachalia officially sworn in as Police Minister

Professor Firoz Cachalia was on Friday officially sworn in as Minister-Designate of Police, following his appointment earlier this month.

Cachalia replaces Senzo Mchunu, who was placed on an immediate leave of absence by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

This after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made allegations of corruption, political interference, and malfeasance, specifically accusing Mchunu of unilaterally disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and redirecting 121 active investigation dockets to the office of National Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, where they have allegedly been neutralised.

Opposition parties have been vocal about Cachalia's acting appointment, arguing that there is no constitutional basis for appointing an acting Minister from outside Cabinet.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party's court challenge of Cachalia'a appointment was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Thursday.

Following his swearing-in, the GOOD Party has urged Cachalia to bring urgency, focus and fairness to the fight against crime, with tangible outcomes in precincts and policy-wise.

The party urged him to prioritise targeted, intelligence-led policing in known gang hotspots, and to support violence prevention strategies - community conflict mediation, school interventions, social work programmes - that have proven effective elsewhere.

GOOD secretary-general and Western Cape Parliament member Brett Herron said Cachalia must hold provinces and municipalities accountable for how they use their own policing resources and stop the "blame-shifting" that leaves residents unprotected.

Herron suggested that Cachalia focus on integrated safety planning that sees the South African Police Service (Saps), metro police and social development work together and not in silos.

"And above all, we call on him not to get lost in the politics of policing. South Africans don't need another power struggle, they need safety, justice, and a government that works together to deliver both. Let this appointment be a turning point, not just in who leads the police, but in how we respond to the violence that has plagued our poorest communities for far too long," Herron said.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) expects Cachalia to implement comprehensive and independent audits of senior Saps leadership.

DA spokesperson on Police and Portfolio Committee on Police chair Ian Cameron said Cachalia had a "mammoth task" ahead of him.

"Trust in the police is at an all-time low, and Saps remains plagued by political interference, mismanagement, and systemic corruption. Saps detectives are overwhelmed, police stations are severely under-resourced, and key leadership positions are either vacant, suspended, or compromised," he noted.

The DA wants Cachalia to roll out the Saps structure signed in May 2025 across all levels, with Cameron pointing out that the lack of structural implementation since 1995 had led to misaligned deployments and poor service delivery.

He said the acting Minister must update and review the Saps Act in full consultation with oversight bodies, unions, and civil society.

The party also expects Cachalia to end long, paid suspensions by finalising disciplinary cases and by bringing back dedicated internal disciplinary units to restore discipline, uphold professional standards, and address misconduct within the ranks.

Cameron said the acting Minister must reinforce merit-based appointments through independent oversight and professional criteria.

The African National Congress expressed its full confidence in Cachalia's appointment, noting his experience and credibility.

DA questions constitutionality of Presidential Johannesburg Working Group

Ahead of the upcoming G20 Leaders' Summit, to be held in November, in Johannesburg, Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga is demanding answers on whether the Joburg Bomb Squad (JBS) and the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group are constitutional, expressing concerns of a deepening crisis in the City.

Last month Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero launched the JBS, a specialised unit that aims to tackle crime and enhance service delivery in the metro, and in March President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the proposal of a Presidential Johannesburg Working Group to accelerate service delivery, stabilise the city's finances and operations, and enable economic growth and job creation.

Msimanga explained that if these bodies were constitutional, his party demand to know where the funding was from, as well as disclosure how much had been spent and by whom.

The DA has been vocal about Morero's initiative, calling it a "ploy" to help African National Congress cadres who have "fallen on hard times".

The party said it was unclear what the purpose of the Bomb Squad was and whether it was part of a comprehensive plan to turn service delivery around in Joburg.

"…currently it seems like Morero has run out of plans and is scared to be outdone by the Presidential Working Group for Joburg which was established because of his failures. Thus, making Morero's initiative nothing more than a public relations stunt to save his own image of being incompetent," said DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku.

The DA wants the terms of reference for both the Bomb Squad and the Presidential Working Group and clear accountability measures to ensure that any wasted funds can be recovered.

Msimanga noted that since Ramaphosa's "highly publicised" visit to Johannesburg the executive of the City had only managed to deepen the crisis the City faced, pointing out that taps regularly ran dry.

"City entities like Joburg Water are unable to ensure water for weeks on end across the metro - currently hundreds of thousands are without water. Road infrastructure has all but collapsed. In the heart of Sandton, a two-story deep hole that stretches across a major road has remained unfilled for over a year," he said.

Msimanga further noted the slow progress on repairs to Lillian Ngoyi street.

In 2023, sections of Lillian Ngoyi street were ripped up when a gas blast rocked the busy city centre.

"Residents of Johannesburg have a need for the City to return to a working City. One where roads are accessible, streetlights work, and their needs are both heard and addressed. This entire exercise cannot be one that window-dresses certain areas, just so that foreign dignitaries can feel comfortable being chauffeured around the City's streets," Msimanga said.

South Africa urged to sweeten US trade deal before tariff deadline

The US urged South Africa to improve its trade offer as Pretoria waits to hear what tariff US President Donald Trump will impose on its exports to the world's largest economy.

South Africa hopes to negotiate a lower levy than the 30% already allocated by Trump, with a deadline to strike a deal by Friday.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said US officials weren't sure themselves what the president would decide and had encouraged South African officials to submit an enhanced proposal.

"Even they are unable to confirm what the announcement would be," Tau told Johannesburg-based broadcaster 702 on Thursday.

The US is South Africa's second-largest trading partner after China and tariffs of 30% would hit its automobile and farming industries hard, dealing a blow to an already-feeble economy where the unemployment rate is one of the highest in the world.

Reserve Bank cuts key rate, will aim for bottom of target band

South Africa's central bank cut its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.00% on Thursday and said it would now aim for the bottom of its inflation target range.

The rate cut was in line with the median forecast of economists polled by Reuters.

The central bank's Monetary Policy Committee was unanimous in its decision, central bank governor Lesetja Kganyago told a press conference.

"We have decided to aim for the bottom of our inflation target range, of 3%-6%, ... this would expand policy space and make our framework more robust to shocks," Kganyago said.

Headline inflation in Africa's largest economy rose to 3.0% year on year in June from 2.8% in May after being below it for three months.

The South African Reserve Bank also trimmed its policy rate by 25 basis points at its previous meeting in May.

ActionSA condemns Ramaphosa, GNU for lack of transparency on looming US tariffs

ActionSA on Wednesday condemned President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Government of National Unity (GNU) for their "silence and lack of transparency" in how they intend to address the looming US trade tariffs.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump informed South Africa of its intention to impose a 30% tariff on South African products exported to the US, separate from sectoral tariffs, from Friday.

South Africa was among several countries to receive letters from Trump, setting out planned tariffs to take effect from Friday.

Trump initially announced a tariff on South African exports to the US in April but then agreed to a three-month delay to discuss trade relations with its trading partners.

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba described the GNU government as having been "woefully inadequate" in efforts to address the deteriorating relationship between the US and South Africa following Ramaphosa's controversial engagement with Trump in the White House in May.

Mashaba said since the engagement, South Africans had not been informed of what sort of trade deals had been mooted by the GNU and what conditions the US had put to South Africa.

"…the country remains in the dark in these respects. Similarly South African businesses exporting to the US have zero clarity on the plans of the GNU," he said.

Mashaba said in the absence of any communication to provide assurance to domestic markets, it can only be deduced that there is no plan for how the GNU will mitigate any economic fallout.

"…not to mention the impact on the already impoverished citizens whose living conditions will deteriorate further due to the impact of the impending tariff implementation," he added.

He questioned why no South African Ambassador or trade team was assigned to Washington to negotiate on behalf of the country.

"Amongst South Africa's most significant export industries to the US are precious stones and metals, vehicles and vehicle parts, iron, steel, and aluminium. Just the agricultural and automotive export market to the US alone collectively employs more than 100 000 South Africans and the loss of these exports drives a further nail into the aspirations of unemployed South Africans looking for work," Mashaba pointed out.

The 2025 economic growth forecasts had already been revised down from 1.9% to 1.4% by National Treasury, with many believing that these numbers were optimistic given actual economic growth figures being below 1% for the past 15 years, Mashaba said.

Any fallout from the imposition of these trade tariffs is projected to reduce economic growth by a further 0.3% and increase unemployment and the cost of living for South Africans.

"As with so many other dimensions of this GNU, our country is left rudderless by a government that cannot produce a coherent thought on the direction of the country," he said.