Dispute within South Africa’s government of national unity regarding the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act
The Freedom Front Plus (VF+) has formally declared a dispute within the government of national unity regarding the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The Freedom Front Plus has called for an urgent, coordinated government plan to retain South Africa’s AGOA benefits.
It also demanded that Ministers Ronald Lamola and Parks Tau report to the GNU parties on negotiations with the USA and on addressing the outstanding American concerns.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), in turn, has indicated that the issue will be placed on the cabinet agenda with a view to a possible dispute.
The DA said its leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has raised the matter with President Cyril Ramaphosa and that they are in talks with representatives of the American government.
Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp will raise the issue in the cabinet and has also arranged an urgent discussion with the American government.
These actions followed a letter from Solidarity to the DA and VF+ in which it is requested that the two parties enter into a dispute within the government over AGOA.
According to Solidarity, the government’s reckless foreign policy could lead to South Africa being kicked out of AGOA.
The White House will decide whether South Africa will be included in AGOA before or on 1 November 2026.
Solidarity said that more than 500,000 jobs in South Africa depend on American trade, of which about 250,000 are linked to AGOA.
“We welcome this action from the VF+ and DA. Workers and their families cannot pay the price for the ANC’s ideological stubbornness,” said Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann.
“It sends an important message that the ANC’s handling of relations with the USA does not have the consent of all GNU partners.”
Hermann said that the GNU dispute strengthens its hand in talks with the Americans, but it must now lead to concrete action.
“Our members in the agriculture, automotive manufacturing, and mining industries need certainty. They cannot wait for a drawn-out government process,” he said.
Solidariteit plans to communicate with the White House about AGOA this week and to hold further talks with the American government in Washington later this month.
The Solidarity CEO argued that jobs and trade relations must now take precedence over party politics.
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Glad to see that somebody is taking AGOA seriously. If we leave it up to Lamola & Co it will only be one massive “snotklap” for all of us. The DA better wake up as they are part of the government and thus part of the reason for losing AGOA.