by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa is moving to harden its economic and political flanks across Southern Africa as Pretoria prepares to neutralise any future tariff threats from Washington, should a Donald Trump administration revive protectionist measures against key trading partners.
That strategic push was underscored on Tuesday when Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation began a regional oversight visit in Lusaka, Zambia, aimed at deepening ties within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc.
The visit, running until 7 February, places economic diplomacy at the centre of South Africa’s foreign policy execution.
Lawmakers are assessing the work of South African missions in SADC states where Pretoria has a significant footprint, including Zambia, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The committee will engage the South African High Commission in Lusaka as a gateway to strengthening regional coordination.
The message is clear: South Africa is not waiting to be pressured by external powers, instead, Pretoria is consolidating regional partnerships to expand trade, protect jobs and build collective resilience against unfair tariff actions.
South Africa remains the industrial engine of Southern Africa, accounting for a substantial share of SADC’s gross domestic product (GDP), manufacturing output and financial services.
Its ports, banks, retailers and energy firms anchor regional value chains that link landlocked economies to global markets.
When Pretoria strengthens economic wings across its doorstep, neighbouring countries gain access to capital, skills and infrastructure, while South Africa secures markets, supply stability and political goodwill.
Beyond the region, South Africa’s weight in Africa and the BRICS bloc amplifies this strategy.
As a BRICS member, Pretoria is plugged into alternative financing, south-south trade and development pathways that reduce dependence on any single Western market.
Tariffs aimed at South Africa would ripple across Africa and into BRICS supply chains while the United States harms its own commercial interests.
Indeed, Washington has much to lose from punitive tariffs.
The US benefits from South African minerals, agricultural products, automotive exports and investment partnerships that support American jobs and competitiveness.
Disrupting that relationship would push trade flows toward Asia, the Middle East and intra-African markets accelerated by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The committee’s oversight also focuses on how missions advance economic diplomacy to tackle unemployment, poverty and inequality at home.
Inspecting missions and state-owned properties abroad is intended to ensure resources are aligned with growth outcomes.
Southern Africa’s real power lies in cooperation. Coordinated infrastructure, harmonised regulations and political solidarity can turn the region into a formidable production hub.
“When SADC countries act together, we negotiate from strength,” an analyst said. “African trade is not a slogan; it is a necessity for shared prosperity.”
As Parliament’s delegation engages counterparts in Lusaka, the signal is unmistakable: South Africa is building regional muscle to withstand external shocks, expand African trade and assert a confident, cooperative place in a shifting global economy.
The delegation includes members from across parties, reflecting consensus that regional integration underpins sovereignty, growth, and diplomatic leverage in uncertain global times.
– CAJ News