EFF says South Africa should walk away from AGOA as US extends trade deal

A familiar trade deal, back in the spotlight

The Economic Freedom Fighters have once again placed South Africa’s trade relationship with the United States under the microscope, calling on government to reject the latest extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The intervention follows the US House of Representatives’ approval of a three-year extension of the trade programme, which allows certain African exports preferential access to American markets. While Washington has positioned the move as a boost for economic development, the EFF sees something far more strategic at play.

“This deal was never neutral,” says EFF

In a strongly worded statement, the red berets argued that AGOA has always served US geopolitical and economic interests ahead of Africa’s long-term development.

“AGOA has always been conditional, designed to bind African economies to US foreign policy objectives,” the party said, adding that renewing the programme primarily advances Washington’s strategic agenda.

The EFF maintains that instead of driving industrialisation, AGOA has locked African countries into exporting low-value goods, doing little to change the structure of their economies.

Trade pressure and political alignment

The party also pointed to what it describes as a pattern of economic coercion by the US, referencing past tensions with South Africa over its diplomatic relations with countries such as Iran and Russia, as well as its political stance on Palestine.

According to the EFF, continued participation in AGOA risks allowing trade access to become a tool for political pressure, effectively narrowing South Africa’s room to manoeuvre on foreign policy.

“Our trade with the United States still pales in comparison to other global partners, and the benefits have been limited and uneven,” the party said.

AfCFTA as the alternative vision

Rather than leaning on conditional trade deals, the EFF is pushing for a shift toward African-led economic frameworks, particularly the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The party argues that deeper regional integration would better support industrial development, value-added production and economic sovereignty.

“South Africa should pursue trade agreements that prioritise intra-African cooperation,” the EFF said, warning that reliance on external powers undermines long-term self-governance.

Government sees relief, not restraint

The EFF’s stance puts it at odds with the South African government, which has welcomed the AGOA extension.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Park Tau said the renewal offers relief to companies affected by US tariffs and provides much-needed certainty for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic that rely on the programme.

For exporters, especially in manufacturing and agriculture, the extension is seen as short-term stability in an increasingly volatile global trade environment.

A wider debate about Africa’s economic future

The clash highlights a deeper debate playing out across the continent: whether trade incentives tied to political alignment help or hinder African development.

Analysts have long criticised AGOA for allowing the US to influence domestic and foreign policy decisions through market access. Supporters, however, argue that abandoning the programme without a fully realised alternative could risk jobs and export income.

For the EFF, the conclusion is clear. Engaging the US “on equal grounds” is not possible under current conditions, the party says and South Africa should rethink whether AGOA aligns with its vision of economic freedom.

As Pretoria weighs pragmatism against principle, the future of South Africa’s place in AGOA is once again firmly on the political agenda.

{Source: IOL}

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