Wandile Sihlobo is correct that SA should diversify its export focus in the wake of US tariffs, but we cannot ignore the fact that the US is our most profitable trading partner (“SA should shift export focus from US trade to diversification”, July 9).
It’s never good to put all your eggs in one basket. SA should definitely be searching for trade opportunities in as many markets as possible. But the fact of the matter is that the US is the world’s most prosperous economy. While China and India may have more people, their markets aren’t as open to our exports.
The US, on the other hand, has a demand for goods and commodities that far outweighs their supply. As a developing economy we need to take advantage of the large US population of rich consumers.
We should be doing far more to appease the US government to drop tariffs and ensure good relations. The Ramaphosa administration’s hiding of the four conditions in which tariffs would not occur was duplicitous and unacceptable. The best course of action is to comply with the conditions and seek forgiveness.
This is not just because we need the US as a trading partner, but also because the conditions actually work in our favour. We don’t want BEE affecting our investors, or hate speech to go ignored and tacitly supported by the government. And we definitely don’t want expropriation without compensation.
We should appease the US and embrace free market reforms to boost our export economy and ensure a prosperous future for the entire country.
Nicholas Woode-Smith
Cape Town
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