Anc To Blame For Trump's Tariffs On Sa - Afriforum

ANC leaders must be held accountable for the punitive 30 reciprocal tariff that US President Donald Trump is imposing on South African imports to the worlds largest economy.

This is the view of civil rights organisationAfriForumafter Trump announced his new tariff regime in Washington on Wednesday, which included a 30 reciprocal tariff on South Africa and duties ranging from 10 to 50 upwards on 60 other countries, varying according to their level of good or poor relations with the US.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said South Africa and its people were now reaping the bitter fruits of the ANC leadership due to the governments reckless policies and defiant actions towards the US.

These ANC leaders have put their ideology and interests, as well as those of their party, above the interests of the citizens of South Africa, Kriel said.

He said AfriForumand others' pleas for a change of direction in South Africa were made in the interest of the country and its people and to avoid punitive measures against South Africa and its residents.

However, he said those who dismissed the USs grievances against South Africa as a misunderstanding based on misinformation had hampered these efforts.

These deniers must, therefore, also bear the blame for the current crisis.

Kriel said the USs punitive measures could have been averted if problems had been openly identified and solutions found.

As a result, a change of direction could have been brought about in South Africa.

AfriForumwill continue to campaign for a change of direction in the country, as this is the only way in which the USs punitive measures can be lifted.

This change of direction entails that South Africa must protect the property and human rights of all people, including those of Afrikaners and other minority communities. Furthermore, the government must prioritise the interests of South Africans by pursuing a truly neutral foreign policy.