THE South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC), representing the four tyre manufacturers with plants in South Africa, welcomed the final determination by the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) and the decision by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel to impose anti-dumping duties on unfairly traded imports of passenger, truck and bus tyres from China.
Duties on the respective tariff classifications will remain in place for five years until July 2028. They range from 7.18% to 43.6%. Fairly traded imports from other countries will continue unaffected into the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
SATMC managing executive, Nduduzo Chala, said, “As the SATMC, we applaud this decisive measure by ITAC and the Minister, which comes as a significant victory for the domestic tyre industry. The implementation of these final anti-dumping 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.”
The SATMC and its members, Bridgestone Southern Africa, Continental Tyre South Africa, Goodyear South Africa and Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, played a pivotal role in advocating for the imposition of the anti-dumping duties and actively participated in the investigation process conducted by ITAC. The tyre manufacturing body provided extensive data, analysis, and expertise to demonstrate the adverse effects of the dumped tyres from China on the domestic industry.
“We commend ITAC’s expert members for their diligent efforts in conducting a thorough investigation into this complex matter and arriving at a well-justified conclusion, which acknowledges the challenges faced by the domestic tyre manufacturing sector. We are also satisfied that the minister found that the evidence of material injury to the industry, was properly substantiated,” said Chala.
“The SATMC and its members remain committed to driving growth, promoting innovation, and ensuring the sustainability of the domestic tyre industry and the continued supplying of the wide SACU customer base. These duties will be essential in establishing a fair competitive landscape for our industry, ensuring a level playing field for domestic manufacturers, and preserving local employment opportunities,” he added.
