Multiple questions are mounting over what exactly South Africa’s ‘trade’ is with Russia and what economic sectors are attracting potential Russian enterprises to South Africa. The first understandable common factor is that both Russia and South Africa are staunch members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) association. It was initially coined as ‘BRIC’ by economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 and began as a coalition of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Later on South Africa joined in 2010, making it BRICS. After several criticisms, BRICS is currently described as an informal, non-Western, and intergovernmental association with a common desire to strengthen the strategic partnership between developing countries.
With the geopolitical changes, the United States has slapped tariffs, including on African countries. This has created the conditions for Africa to switch exports to Asia and other friendly markets in Europe. Russia and the former Soviet space could possibly be new markets for Africa. But then, the opportunity window is narrow, settling only for Russia with its stringent rules and regulations, compared to China, which has knocked down trade tariffs for Africa’s exports. The choice of Russia has its own strategic crossroads. Many experts have already been suggesting that South Africa, for instance, may reorient its exports to BRICS countries. South Africa is one of the most dynamically developing countries on the African continent, as well as a member of BRICS.
Joint trilateral military exercises involving Russia, China, and South Africa signal their geopolitical closeness and confirm the long-term strategic partnership between them. In this case, it’s building strategic relationships and partnerships, which would be useful for leveraging into the sphere of trade and engaging in investment.
African Continental Free Trade Area
But analyzing the situation objectively, South Africa is guided by the principle of multilateralism and pursues a multi-vector foreign policy. It is correct; it conducts a wider scope of trade with Western countries, including the United States and European countries. The doors are open as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is gaining ground for intra-African trade. The estimated population of 1.4 billion people constitutes a huge consumer market. The AfCFTA is also being mainstreamed into G20 trade and investment discussions under South Africa’s chairmanship. In examining multilateralism, this is meant to place Africa strongly within the parameters of the G20. In this direction, Africa has to desist from criticisms and capitalize on opportunities relating to the continental development and strengthening of trade and investment.
There is growing recognition within the G20 that Africa must be seen as a partner for mutual prosperity rather than a passive recipient of aid. South Africa strongly supports the evolution of G20–Africa economic relations toward long-term, transformative partnerships that deliver industrial capacity, human capital development, and infrastructure integration. There is also a strong expectation that G20 members will enhance investment in Africa’s energy transition, including natural gas as a transitional fuel, and provide resources for climate adaptation and resilience. The continent expects partnerships that create jobs, enable local value addition, and facilitate integration into global supply chains.
In the context of tariffs introduced by the US on goods imported from South Africa and other African countries, some African governments have also initiated new measures. For instance, South African producers, primarily farmers, are forced to look for buyers on other continents. In an official statement, the Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said, “South Africa will look for new markets.”
The introduction of 30% US tariffs on imports of goods from South Africa, which came into force on August 8, 2025, and covered approximately 65% of South African exports to the United States, according to economists, will hit the agro-industrial sector, the automotive industry, and the textile industry particularly hard, where the greatest loss of jobs is expected.
Beyond the United States and Europe
Darya Zelenova, head of the BRICS African Strategy Study Center at the Institute for African Studies (IAS), explained in an interview with local Russian media that the tariffs present a number of challenges, since the American market was the second largest for South Africa’s exports, accounting for a significant portion of the supply of platinum, cars, citrus fruits, and other goods. But the effect of these sanctions should not be overestimated either, simply because the share of American exports from South Africa’s total exports is 10%, while the country’s export quota is about 25%. That is, the ratio of exports to the United States to the volume of the South African economy is only about 2.5%. The country has a fairly large and developed domestic market, which is a certain ‘safety cushion’ in case of foreign policy upheavals.
In the current situation, South Africa can reorient its exports to other markets of the same BRICS countries if there is political will on the part of the leadership, according to BRICS researcher Daria Zelenova, and further underlined that “this is very good for Russia; maybe we will finally start importing avocados from South Africa, which is closer to us, and not from distant Peru or Israel, which is fighting against Palestine. In the long term, it is clear that if South Africa does not have favorable conditions for entering the American markets, then others will be found.”
Generally, Africa is expected to engage in a significant diversification of export markets. South Africa will be forced to strengthen not only regional but also continental pan-African integration. Ideally, South Africa, with its existing economic and financial strength, can become the leader of African integration. After all, the country is already the leader among all African countries in the export of services to the continent. It is increasingly becoming clearer as African entrepreneurs are declaring on all platforms that they need to improve their internal supply chains and reorient their logistics chains.
Multilateralism—the Strategy Forward
In addition to Russia and the United States, there are potential markets in BRICS countries and also in G20 members. South Africa is pursuing multilateral policy; therefore, locally, it means it could look at and expand its revenue-earning commercial operations. In 2025, South Africa headed the G20, which has a profound historical and geopolitical significance. It marks the first time an African country has led the G20 at the summit level since its inception in 1999, and it coincides with the African Union’s recent inclusion as a permanent G20 member in 2023.
With the G20 Johannesburg Summit scheduled for 22-23 November 2025, this presidency presents an opportunity for Africa to shape global discussions on sustainable development and resilience in a time of polycrisis, while promoting solidarity between emerging economies and major powers. For the very same reasons, we are taking our G20 presidency to the African continent in three separate events planned for Egypt (on Food Security), Ethiopia (on the Compact with Africa), and Nigeria (on Industrialization and Agriculture) later in 2025.
In institutional terms, South Africa’s presidency strengthens Africa’s ability to influence G20 policy outcomes and reform debates, particularly regarding the international financial architecture. It also consolidates South Africa’s profile as a credible bridge-builder between developed and developing economies. South Africa is committed to building consensus across ideological divides and ensuring that global economic governance delivers balanced outcomes, even amidst evolving bilateral dynamics.
As Russia focuses on promoting its Russian language and culture and prioritizes less trade, investment, and support for economic development, particularly in South Africa and across Africa, it is logical for African countries to search elsewhere around the multipolar world for (1) inclusive economic growth, industrialization, and employment creation; (2) food security (a critical issue for Africa); and (3) the governance and application of artificial intelligence and innovation for sustainable development. These priorities are fully aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
