Make or break for South Africa this week

The US and South Africa will hold a first round of bilateral talks this week after the Trump administration imposed tariffs on goods and amid frayed diplomatic ties, Business Day reported. 

South African Trade Minister Parks Tau will likely lead the discussions on Pretoria’s behalf, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said, citing him. 

South Africa is working to reset US relations and preparing a bilateral trade pact with its biggest trading partner after China. 

African nations and the US will hold talks in June or July on the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a trade accord that provides duty-free access to the world’s largest economy, Tau said earlier this month, adding it will be hard to salvage the arrangement.