02 June 2025
Engineering News
by Darren Parker
The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) of South Africa has decided that provisional payments be imposed for six months on companies implicated in the circumvention of antidumping duties on new pneumatic tyres imported from China. These preliminary measures will be implemented pending the finalisation of the anticircumvention investigation of these products originating in or imported from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
This comes after the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) – the official industry body and trade association representing local tyre manufactures such as Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Sumitomo – submitted an application to Itac requesting an investigation into alleged circumvention of antidumping duties on new pneumatic tyres imported from China. Circumvention refers to actions taken by exporters to bypass antidumping duties that have been legally imposed to address unfair trade practices.
The tyres, which are used on passenger cars, bakkies, buses, small pick-up trucks and lorries, are reportedly being rerouted through Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. SATMC has claimed that this practice is causing, or threatening to cause, material injury to the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) industry.
ITAC has subsequently determined that circumvention in the form of country hopping is indeed taking place as alleged. The commission has confirmed that the Sacu industry is experiencing material injury and a threat of material injury as a result of these actions.