South Africa Drafts Law to Counter Unfair Tariffs, Protect Firms

South Africa is proposing that a regulator be given new powers to investigate protectionist tariffs and curb import surges as global trade tensions intensify.

The move signals a tougher stance on trade as Pretoria navigates a more fragmented global system, with governments increasingly linking policy to economic security — a shift highlighted by US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff program and more recent restrictions on strategic goods by major economies.

Draft amendments to legislation would allow the state to investigate foreign trade practices that harm South Africa’s economic interests and determine whether import patterns threaten national security.

The changes ...