Industrial steel production scene showing large steel coils and automation equipment.
South Africa has delivered a significant blow to cheap Chinese and Thai steel imports, imposing anti-dumping tariffs of 74.98% on Chinese structural steel and 20.32% on Thai equivalents. The move follows a formal investigation, which revealed that both countries were selling steel below market prices. It provides a critical lifeline for South Africa’s beleaguered domestic steel industry, where local producers have been struggling with weak demand amid a surge of cheaper foreign supplies. Imports account for about 36% of South Africa’s steel consumption, with China dominating that share. Companies like ArcelorMittal South Africa have already shuttered mills in response to the competitive pressure. The steep tariff hike from the provisional 52.81% imposed in 2024 signals Pretoria’s growing determination to protect one of its most strategically important industrial sectors from unfair foreign competition.
Reuters