May 2026

29 May 2026 – South Africa has officially raised import protection across a wide range of upstream and downstream steel products by between 10% and 30% – rates that are in line with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ‘bound rate’, or the legally permitted maximum import tariff rate that can be applied by a member […]

28 May 2026 – The global economy entered 2026 with resilience, supported by trade, industrial production in developing economies and investment linked to artificial intelligence (AI). But rising geopolitical tensions are now testing that momentum, according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). UNCTAD’s ‘Trade and Development Foresights 2026: Global economy faces a geopolitical challenge‘ warns

South Africa is in its most protectionist trade-policy phase since 1994, creating new cargo, cost and compliance risks for clearing and forwarding agents, according to Donald MacKay, CEO of XA Global Travel Advisors. Speaking at the recent ICFF Gauteng roadshow, Mackay said the risk profile for companies moving goods into and out of South Africa

22 May 2026 – The United States’ decision to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) trade programme through to the end of 2026 has brought relief to South African exporters and businesses after months of uncertainty over the future of the preferential trade arrangement. In a proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump, the White

20 May 2026 – Germany overtook the US as the second-largest buyer of South African goods after US President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs took effect, new data showed. The South African Reserve Bank said the tariffs hit South Africa’s value-added goods the hardest, with the country’s vehicle and transport equipment sector absorbing the bulk

18 May 2026 – South Africa’s maize industry entered the 2025/6 marketing year with expectations of robust export demand after producing a bumper crop of about 16.5 million tonnes. However, weaker than expected buying from key Asian markets curtailed exports during the season. The industry had initially projected maize exports of about 2.4 million tonnes

15 May 2026 – The United States is preparing a major overhaul of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), signalling a shift away from a purely development-focused trade arrangement towards a more reciprocal model that could place South Africa under increased pressure to open its markets to American goods. The Office of the United

13 May 2026 – The South African Revenue Service says it is working with Chinese authorities to finalise the legal framework for the China Trade Scheme, which came into effect at the start of the month. China recently announced a temporary zero-tariff scheme for 20 non-least developed African countries, including South Africa. From May 1,

12 May 2026 – South Africa’s tariff investigation system is sliding into crisis, with duty applications taking years rather than months, reviews of old duties barely happening, and private sector applicants increasingly walking away from a process they no longer trust. This sharp indictment comes from XA Global Trade Advisors’ eighth Import Duty Investigation Report,

11 May 2026 – South African organisations are facing a more challenging operating environment after the International Monetary Fund lowered its 2026 global growth forecast to 3.1% from 3.3% and raised its global inflation outlook to 4.4%. The IMF has warned that conflict-driven increases in oil, gas and fertiliser costs are intensifying pressure across the global economy. Specialist