Solidarity Calls for Urgent US-SA Trade Deal As Tariffs Threaten Job Cuts, Citizens Debate
- Trade union Solidarity has urged the South African government to conclude a trade deal with the United States urgently
- Fruit Products Western Cape in Tulbagh faces possible closure after Premier Foods flagged US tariffs and shrinking global demand as threats
- South Africans weighed in on Solidarity's calls, with some noting that the trade union previously lobbied for US sanctions
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Source: UGC
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WESTERN CAPE - Trade union Solidarity has called on the South African government to urgently conclude a trade agreement with the United States, citing the threat of mass job losses in the canned fruit industry.
The trade union made the call following the news that Fruit Products Western Cape (FPWC), a canning facility in Tulbagh owned by Premier Foods, would be closing.
The potential closure of the plant could affect 246 permanent employees and up to 2,200 contract and seasonal workers.
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Tariffs push FPWC to the brink
According to Solidarity General Secretary, Gideon du Plessis, FPWC exports a significant share of its canned fruit to international markets, and that a combination of declining global consumption and escalating US import tariffs had severely undermined the company's competitiveness.
Du Plessis outlined the scale of the tariff burden: on top of an existing 15% US import tariff, the Trump administration introduced a 30% reciprocal tariff in April 2025, followed by an additional 12.5% levy on agricultural products linked to alleged forced labour practices.
"These tariffs, together with the uncertainty about the continuation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act after 31 December 2026, are placing the entire South African canned fruit industry under immense pressure. “This is making local exporters increasingly uncompetitive compared with countries that are not exposed to similar tariffs," he said.
He argued that "the most immediate and effective solution would be a political one," namely concluding a trade agreement with the US that "removes the punitive levies on South African exports."
How did South Africans react?
The development drew sharp responses on social media, as several users pointed to Solidarity's past political positioning and questioned the union's credibility in calling for a trade agreement.
@WhyAlwaysMoe_ wrote:
"They were happy to throw the whole country under the bus, despite everyone's warnings that their supporters would also be affected eventually."
@mzuzups asked:
"Who are they calling exactly? You cannot on one hand celebrate and encourage the US’ baseless and crippling actions against SA and at the same time call for a trade deal as if you didn't know the consequences."
@zolekaM1 said:
"The same Solidarity that was begging Trump to sanction SA?"
@ThabokTk added:
"They must call their god Trump. They lobbied for SA to be isolated."
@KaapChris stated:
"No trade deals can be concluded until the five points from the US have been addressed."
@05_Tshayingwe argued:
"This factory was facing closure due to external pressures. This has nothing to do with any US-SA trade deal. We're not responsible for the aggressive protectionist stance taken by Trump, i.e., tariffs."
AfriForum and Solidarity meet with US Ambassador
Briefly News shared details about AfriForum and Solidarity's recent meeting with the United States Ambassador.
The meeting was aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Pretoria, as diplomatic disputes linger between the countries.
Claims of persecution made by President Donald Trump have escalated concerns, prompting these organisations to seek solutions.
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Source: Briefly News
