ANA reports that Business Unity SA (Busa) said on Sunday that it was very concerned about imminent job losses in the domestic steel and aluminium industry if the import duties imposed by the United States government go ahead.  

Speaking at the Brics Business Council meeting in Durban, Busa representative Busiswe Mabuza said that business acknowledged Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies' efforts and wished him success in the negotiations.  "The threat to more than 7,000 jobs posed by the imposition of tariffs on South African steel and aluminium exports to the US remains a big concern, as every single job counts and the country cannot afford any further job losses in an economy that has such high unemployment levels," Mabuza observed.  His remarks came after the US government earlier this year decided to impose duties on imports of steel and aluminium, including from South Africa, as the Trump administration continues to clamp down on imports and widen its protectionism.  Busa is a confederation of business organisations.

• Read this report in full at Engineering News

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