International relations & co-operation minister Ronald Lamola says the government is unlikely to make concessions on domestic policies as part of ongoing trade discussion with the US.
“Sometimes it’s based on a misunderstanding of our domestic situation; sometimes it’s ideological,” he said on Tuesday, adding that trade negotiations were unpredictable.
“It’s just an ideological issue because of the various quarters involved in the process. As you are aware, there are a number of South Africans sending negative messages [to the US] … So these are issues that we continue to engage on, but they are sticking to their point. We’re hopeful that we will be able to find each other.”
Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London, Lamola said negotiations with Washington over tariffs and the future of the African Growth & Opportunity Act (Agoa) were continuing at a positive level of engagement.
He said that while the talks had made progress, SA had resisted attempts to link trade benefits to domestic policies.
“There are sticking points which we view as falling within the sovereignty of SA, so they are not up for negotiation,” Lamola said. “The issues of BEE, land reform, redistribution and the false narrative of genocide should be separated from trade engagements.”
Lamola reaffirmed that the country’s land reform process included provisions for compensation and that its constitutional and judicial systems provided adequate safeguards.
“The expropriation bill makes clear that in certain specific circumstances land can be expropriated without compensation, but the principle remains that it is with compensation,” he said.
The bill, which is before the Constitutional Court, sets out the conditions under which expropriation without compensation can take place.
On Agoa, which lapsed in September, Lamola said the trade scheme would be extended once the US government resumes operations.
“We remain positive that there could be a reprieve because it remains a strategic platform for our trade with the US and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa … You can’t fully separate Agoa from the tariffs because the tariffs technically nullify Agoa,” he said.
Lamola cited the recent renewal of the US’s Pepfar HIV/Aids programme as a sign of constructive engagement between the two countries.
“There are positive signals coming out of Congress with regard to Agoa … We are awaiting feedback, but the negotiations are going very well.”
