By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

On Tuesday the government of South Africa was thrilled to receive approval from U.S House of Representatives for a bill that will be aimed at renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a law that was designed to provide duty-free access to the U.S market for eligible Sub-Saharan countries and products. 

AGOA, a bill that was established in 2000, had expired in September 2025 and affected thousands of jobs that were dependent on this law. 

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, had released a statement on the renewal of AGOA and expressed that its renewal “would provide certainty and predictability for South African and American businesses that rely on the programme.” 

Tensions between the United States and South Africa have been sour since President Donald Trump came into his second term as President of the United States. An estimated 22% of South African exports to the United States have benefited from the AGOA bill as well as half a million jobs being dependent on this bill. 

South Africans are urged to not be too optimistic over the prospect of AGOA being renewed as there are still channels that the bill needs to pass before it can officially be approved as the last stage of processing will fall on the hands of Donald Trump. 

Since Trump has come into power, his administration has pushed an “America first” agenda as they have also gone on to implement tariff increases. If the bill is passed then AGOA would be extended until 31 December 2028. 

The strategy behind this move by America is to lessen the relations South Africa has with China and Russia as the two countries have had a growing influence in the African region. 

The vote will still need to pass the US senate and then be signed and sealed by Donald Trump, who already has his own issues with South Africa. 

Rumours of a White Genocide in South Africa as well as the feud during the G20 in November, as America boycotted the gathering of Heads of State and have now banned South Africa from attending the gathering this year which will be held in Miami this year.

Another reason for the skepticism around Trump approving the bill is due to his statement highlighting that any country that works with Iran will be hit with sanctions.