The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) has welcomed the decision by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel to impose antidumping duties on what it calls “unfairly traded” passenger, truck and bus tyres imported from China, following an investigation by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac).
SATMC represents the four tyre manufacturers with plants in South Africa, namely Bridgestone Southern Africa, Continental Tyre South Africa, Goodyear South Africa and Sumitomo Rubber South Africa.
The tyre body applied to Itac for relief against dumped imports from China in late 2021 and received provisional relief for six months.
Duties ranging from 7.18% to 43.6% on passenger, truck and bus tyres imported from, or originating in, China will now remain in place until July 2028.
Imports from other countries into the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) will continue to be unaffected.
“As SATMC, we applaud this decisive measure by Itac and the Minister,” says SATMC managing executive Nduduzo Chala.
“The implementation of these final antidumping duties will serve to uphold fair trade practices and protect the economy against opportunistic pricing in the tyre sector, which has posed a threat to the future of the South African tyre industry.