While South Africa scored a reprieve with the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at the start of the year, conversations are already starting about the programme ending again. Should the programme end or South Africa lose eligibility, billions of rands in trade with the US are at risk, with the country losing its competitive edge to South America. US President Donald Trump provided some temporary relief to South Africa in early February, signing a law that extended AGOA through 31 December 2026 . The extension took effect retroactively from 30 September 2025, and, to date, no changes have been made to the list of countries eligible for the programme, which still includes South Africa. However, with no trade deal yet secured with the United States, billions of rands in local exports remain at risk, with the countdown to expiry back in focus. AGOA provides African markets with duty-free access to the US market and has been used predominantly by South African ...