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The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Ms Sonja Boshoff, has welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and called on government to act decisively and responsibly to safeguard South Africa’s trade relationship with the United States.

Ms Boshoff said the prolonged uncertainty around South Africa’s AGOA status placed avoidable pressure on exporters, investors and workers who rely on stable access to the US market.

It serves no one’s interests to create doubt about South Africa’s commitment to predictable, rules-based trade. Constructive engagement with key trading partners is not about compromising sovereignty, but about ensuring economic stability, protecting jobs and maintaining investor confidence.

Ms Boshoff emphasised that South Africa’s trade and foreign policy must be coherent and economically grounded, warning that inconsistent public messaging on geopolitical matters undermines the country’s credibility and export competitiveness.

On Wednesday, the United States announced a one-year extension of AGOA, a legislative framework that allows qualifying sub-Saharan African countries to export certain goods duty-free to the US market.

Ms Boshoff said the extension should be used strategically to strengthen export performance, support vulnerable sectors and restore confidence among South African producers.

This extension provides breathing space, not a guarantee. Government must now use this opportunity to stabilise key trade relationships, identify growth sectors and ensure that our international posture supports economic growth and job creation at home, said Ms Boshoff.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Sonja Boshoff