Current status — July 28, 2026
- Section 301 forced-labour tariff (12.5%) on all SA goods entered into force July 24, 2026. This replaces the Section 122 surcharge, which expired on the same date.
- AGOA extended through December 31, 2026 (signed February 3, 2026).
- Section 232 tariff on steel and aluminium: 50% (in force since June 4, 2025).
South African exporters shipping goods to the United States face a layered and rapidly shifting tariff environment in 2026. Three separate instruments apply simultaneously, and the most significant change — a new 12.5% forced-labour tariff under Section 301 — entered into force on July 24, 2026. This page tracks the current position with sources for each claim and a “Last updated” date that will be maintained as the situation evolves.
AGOA — Current Status
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) gives qualifying sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US market on approximately 7,000 product lines. For South Africa, the programme’s largest practical benefit flows through passenger vehicles and vehicle parts, which accounted for 64% of SA’s AGOA-eligible exports to the US in 2024.
The current AGOA authorisation expires December 31, 2026. President Trump signed the short-term extension on February 3, 2026 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (P.L. 119-75), with retroactive effect to September 30, 2025 — the date the previous authorisation had lapsed. The USTR described the extension as transitional and stated it will work with Congress to “modernise the program to align with President Trump’s America First Trade Policy.”
Important limitation: AGOA duty-free treatment reduces the MFN (most-favoured-nation) tariff rate only. AGOA does not exempt goods from Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium, and does not exempt goods from the Section 301 forced-labour tariff. An SA exporter using AGOA to claim 0% MFN duty still faces 12.5% Section 301 on top of that zero rate.
The 2026 Tariff Stack — What SA Exporters Pay Today
| Instrument | Rate | Scope | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| MFN (standard tariff) | Varies by HS code | All goods | In force |
| AGOA duty-free preference | 0% on ~7,000 lines | AGOA-eligible products; reduces MFN only — not Section 232 or 301 | In force to 31 Dec 2026 |
| Section 232 — steel & aluminium | 50% | Steel and aluminium products (full customs value since April 6, 2026) | In force since June 4, 2025 |
| Section 301 — forced labour | 12.5% | All SA goods (Annex I & II exemptions apply) | IN FORCE July 24, 2026 |
| Section 122 — global surcharge | 10% | All goods (was flat surcharge) | EXPIRED July 24, 2026 |
How stacking works in practice: Section 301 is charged in addition to any applicable MFN rate. For steel: MFN + 50% Section 232 + 12.5% Section 301. For most non-steel goods without AGOA: MFN + 12.5% Section 301. For AGOA-eligible goods (e.g. vehicles): 0% MFN via AGOA + 12.5% Section 301. AGOA removes the base MFN rate but does not interact with Section 232 or Section 301.
Section 301 — 12.5% Forced Labour Tariff (In Force July 24, 2026)
On March 12, 2026, the USTR self-initiated Section 301 investigations against 60 economies under the Trade Act of 1974, including South Africa and Angola, on the grounds that each had “failed to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.” The investigation ran through public comment and hearing stages before final action was announced.
Full timeline:
- March 12, 2026 — USTR initiates 60 investigations (Federal Register March 17, 2026; 91 FR 12884)
- June 2, 2026 — USTR releases findings; SA and Angola among 54 economies found non-compliant; proposed tariff published
- June 5, 2026 — Federal Register notice of proposed actions (91 FR 34272); written comment period opened
- July 7–9, 2026 — Three-day public hearing; over 100 witnesses testified
- July 23, 2026 — USTR announces final action; President issues memorandum directing the tariff
- July 24, 2026, 12:01 a.m. ET — Tariffs enter into force. South Africa: 12.5% on all goods except Annex I & II exemptions
- July 31, 2026 — Patented pharmaceutical articles (HTSUS 9903.04.60–9903.04.66) added to the Section 301 exemption list (heading 9903.05.90). Technical HTSUS adjustment within the original action — no change to the 12.5% rate on general South African goods.
The tariff applies across all SA goods with no sector-specific targeting. Exemptions (Annex I and II of the USTR notice) cover categories where additional tariffs would cause US domestic supply disruptions.
Source: USTR Federal Register Notice of Actions, July 23, 2026; USTR Ambassador Greer press release, June 2, 2026.
Section 232 — Steel & Aluminium (50%)
Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium were raised to 50% ad valorem effective June 4, 2025, for all countries without a specific bilateral exemption. South Africa has no Section 232 exemption — it is not party to any bilateral arrangement that modifies this rate. AGOA does not provide an exemption from Section 232.
From April 6, 2026, the tariff is applied to the full customs value of the steel or aluminium product — not just the metal content. This significantly increased effective tariff exposure for derivative and semi-finished metal products.
A South African steel exporter faces: MFN rate + 50% Section 232 + 12.5% Section 301.
Source: White House Proclamation, June 3, 2025; Congressional Research Service Insight IN12519, updated July 7, 2026.
Section 122 — The Previous Surcharge (Expired July 24, 2026)
After the US Supreme Court struck down IEEPA-based reciprocal tariffs on February 20, 2026, President Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2132), which authorises a short-term balance-of-payments surcharge. A flat 10% surcharge took effect February 24, 2026, replacing the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs that had applied to SA goods at approximately 30% since April 2025.
Section 122 carries a statutory 150-day maximum. White House Proclamation 11012 explicitly stated the measures “shall continue in effect through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 24, 2026.” No congressional extension was passed. The Section 122 surcharge expired on July 24, 2026 — the same date the Section 301 tariff entered into force.
Source: White House Proclamation 11012, February 20, 2026; Nakachi Eckhardt & Jacobson trade law alert, July 4, 2026.
AGOA After December 2026 — The Renewal Question
The current AGOA authorisation expires December 31, 2026. Congress must pass new legislation for any continuation beyond that date. The USTR described the February 2026 extension as transitional, with Ambassador Greer stating the USTR will work with Congress “to modernise the program to align with President Trump’s America First Trade Policy.” No long-term renewal bill has been passed or publicly agreed as of July 2026.
For SA exporters in AGOA-eligible categories where the MFN rate is material — notably vehicles, apparel, and some agricultural products — loss of AGOA status at end of 2026 would add MFN duty on top of the already-live Section 301 charge. The end-of-year deadline is the most significant structural uncertainty facing SA US-bound exports beyond the current tariff stack.
Exporting from South Africa to the US — JLog’s Role
JLog handles the freight, packaging, and South African export customs documentation side of shipments bound for the United States: SARS export declaration, commercial invoice and packing list preparation, phytosanitary certificates where required, ISPM-15 crating for wooden packaging, and ISF 10+2 coordination before vessel departure from Cape Town.
US import clearance — CBP entry filing, tariff classification under US Schedule B, and duty payment including Section 301 and Section 232 where applicable — is handled by a licensed US customs broker at the port of entry. JLog coordinates with your US broker and ensures all documentation required for CBP is correctly prepared and transmitted before the vessel departs.