Agoa is dead,

Job losses are pegged between 60 000 and 100 000.

- Hein Kaiser

S President Donald Trump yesterday morning effectively ended Agoa, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, after imposing a 30% duty on all goods imported from South Africa.

While new trade tariffs were imposed globally, it marks the latest in a raft of punitive missives against the country.

Economist Dawie Roodt said the tariffs may only make a small dent of between 0.2% and 0.6% in gross domestic product.

"It is not the end of the world," he said. "But while Trump didn't say so directly, it marks the end of Agoa. The trade agreement, which zeroed duties on around 1 800 items, was due to expire at the end of September this year.

"If the status quo remains," said Roodt, "there will be no renegotiation of terms, either."