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Trump tariffs hit South Africa's auto industry

03:24

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Dianne Hawker in Johannesburg, South Africa
August 1, 2025

South Africa is facing 30% tariffs on its US exports, after failing to secure a trade deal before Donald Trump's deadline. The country's automotive industry, which employs 115,000 people, now fears major job losses. DW's Dianne Hawker reports.

The motor industry in South Africa has already begun to feel the impact of tariffs introduced by the Trump administration

The industry accounts for an estimated 115,000 jobs nationally. Parts assembly accounts for a massive chunk of these jobs — an estimated 85,000 people produce small components that feed into larger supply chains. And some business owners are finding out the hard way that even if their parts don't go into US-bound vehicles, the new tariff regime has affected them. 

DW looks at the impact of Trump's tariffs on the South African automotive sector.

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