(MENAFN) South African goods shipped to the United States will be subjected to a 30% duty beginning next Thursday, according to an announcement by President Donald Trump.

The move follows Pretoria’s inability to finalize a “fair” commercial agreement with Washington prior to an earlier deadline of August 1.

President Trump formalized this measure by signing an executive directive on Thursday, unveiling a modified global tariff framework that revises duties for numerous nations—some encountering increases, while a few achieved late-stage exemptions.

He asserts that the changes are meant to address chronic trade imbalances, which he views as a danger to both American economic interests and national security.

Lesotho, a neighboring nation to South Africa and once facing the steepest potential “reciprocal” duty of 50%, was granted a lower 15% rate under the revised order.

Similarly, Zimbabwe received a concessionary 15% tariff, down from the 18% previously mentioned by Trump in April. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa remarked that his government would eliminate taxes on US imports “in the spirit of constructing a mutually beneficial and positive relationship.”

Speaking on Thursday, Trump stated that the updated tariff strategy reflects whether countries have “agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade and security commitments” with his government.

“Other trading partners, despite having engaged in negotiations, have offered terms that, in my judgment, do not sufficiently address imbalances in our trading relationship or have failed to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national-security matters,” he continued.

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