SAAI DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY SOUTH AFRICA’S EXCLUSION FROM AGOA
Saai is deeply disappointed by the United States government's decision to exclude South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), effective 1 January 2027. Many farmers hold the ANC's stubborn refusal to condemn the chant “Kill the farmer, kill the Boer”, designate farm attacks as a priority crime, abandon expropriation without compensation, and exempt American investors from its race-obsessed Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) requirements responsible for this decision. South Africa's foreign policy, particularly the ANC's close relationship with Iran, has also been a source of serious tension in the country's relations with the United States.
Saai estimates that approximately 62000 jobs are now at risk because of the ANC's confrontational attitude towards the United States, with litchi, citrus, wine, nut and other fruit producers likely to bear the brunt of the consequences. Saai and its network partners will continue engaging their contacts in the United States, urging them not to punish South African farmers for the poor judgement of the ANC and its sympathisers.
Saai acknowledges, however, that we do not speak on behalf of all farmers. Other agricultural organisations, certain mega-farmers and agribusinesses closely associated with ANC policies, benefiting from those policies and with a history of unquestioning cooperation with the parasitic political elite, will likely blame everyone except the ANC for the termination of South Africa's AGOA benefits. The contents of the official US statement, however, speak for themselves.
Saai holds little hope that trade relations with the United States will recover in the short term. A Government of National Unity in which the ANC and its network of cronies and beneficiaries no longer play the dominant role would be better positioned to negotiate more favourable trade arrangements for South African exporters. The policy changes previously requested by the US government are straightforward to implement and would help South Africa reclaim the moral high ground.
