How Trump's tariffs pinched South African SMEs ahead of key US court ruling

ALTHOUGH all eyes are now on a ruling in which the US Supreme Court heard arguments over whether to overturn US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, SMEs have already felt severe pain.

- NICOLA MAWSON

US media indicate that judges are now debating their decision, having wrapped up arguments last Monday. This will likely be scant relief for smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, given that they lost two-thirds of Black Friday demand as US tariffs hit hard, a new report shows.

Over the past few weeks, several major companies — including Costco, Revlon, Bumble Bee Foods, and the producer of RayBan - have joined small businesses in petitioning the US Court of International Trade to secure refunds if the Supreme Court overturns Trump's tariffs.