Cyril Ramaphosa ignored the United States’ requests and South African citizens will now pay the price

Solidarity said that President Cyril Ramaphosa is to blame for the United States’ decision to remove South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

On 2 November 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced this decision.

Ambassador Jamieson Greer issued the statement following President Donald Trump’s notices to Congress and the South African government.

“President Trump found that the South African government is engaging in practices that are inconsistent with AGOA’s eligibility criteria,” Greer said.

These practices include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment.

They also involve corruption and practices that threaten U.S. national security and foreign policy interests in the region.

Solidarity responded to the decision, saying it was a result of the South African government’s failure to repair the diplomatic relationship with the United States.

“The relationship had deteriorated so severely that the White House was no longer willing to keep South Africa as part of the program,” it said.

“The government, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Minister Ronald Lamola repeatedly ignored warnings.”

“Instead, they pursued a foreign policy and made public statements that further worsened relations with one of South Africa’s most important trading partners.”

Jaco Kleynhans, head of public relations at Solidarity, explained that the annual review of beneficiary countries remains a function of the White House.

“Ramaphosa and Lamola’s antagonism toward Trump and the White House made it impossible for the Trump administration to keep South Africa part of AGOA,” he said.

“The responsibility for this exclusion lies squarely with the government, Lamola, and Ramaphosa.”

“Ordinary workers and industries are now going to pay the price for political negligence,” said Kleynhans.

Lex Libertas founder Ernst Roets also blamed Ramaphosa and the South African government for the United States’ decision to exclude South Africa from the AGOA.

“The South African government knew that this was a possibility. President Ramaphosa even warned that the country should prepare for the consequences,” said Roets.

“Despite the consequences to South African citizens, the government failed to take reasonable steps to prevent this outcome.”

The steps included addressing American concerns about incitement to violence against minorities, protecting property rights, and promoting free-market policies.

“Instead, the government continued to prioritise its political ideology over the economic interests of the citizens of South Africa,” he said.

Ryan Smith, the DA’s spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, shared Solidarity and Lex Libertas’s sentiment.

“This development was avoidable and completely unnecessary in the context of sound economic diplomacy,” he said.

“It is a devastating blow to the South African economy, especially the agriculture and agro-processing, automotive manufacturing, and mining sectors.”

He said that South Africans employed through AGOA-dependent industries will now pay the price for Minister Lamola’s ideological obstinacy and sheer diplomatic ineptitude.