South Africa imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of certain corrosion-resistant steel coil from China effective September 18, 2026.
South Africa’s revenue service, SARS, on 18 September 2026 published anti-dumping duties on thin zinc-coated and aluminium-zinc-coated steel coil from China, starting at 5.5% and rising each June until 20291.
Anti-dumping duty is an extra import tax on goods sold abroad below their normal price. The duties follow Report No. 778 of the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC), South Africa’s trade remedies body, dated 06 July 20262.
In short, most shipments of this thin coated steel from China now pay an extra 5.5% at the border, and that charge climbs to 57.84% by June 2029. One Chinese maker, Shandong Guanxian Foryune Composite Materials, pays no anti-dumping duty until 12 June 2029, and then 8.21%3.
Which steel coil from China is covered?
The duty covers thin steel sheet in rolls, at least 600 mm wide and less than 0.45 mm thick2. Two kinds are covered:
- iron or non-alloy steel coated with aluminium-zinc alloys, under tariff subheadings 7210.61.20 and 7210.61.30
- other alloy steel coated with zinc, under tariff subheadings 7225.92.25 and 7225.92.35
ITAC calls these goods "corrosion resistant steel coil"2. The goods must originate in or be imported from China. The duties are listed under item 215.02 in Part 1 of Schedule No. 2 to the customs tariff3.
How will the China steel duty rise each year?
SARS published four notices in Government Gazette No. 55424 that set the rate for each period1. For all Chinese makers except Foryune, the rates are:
- 5.5% up to 11 June 2027 (Notice R.7937)
- 20.5% from 12 June 2027 to 11 June 2028 (Notice R.7938)
- 35.5% from 12 June 2028 to 11 June 2029 (Notice R.7939)
- 57.84% from 12 June 2029 (Notice R.7940)
Anti-dumping duty on most Chinese coil, %
A fifth notice, R.7941, sets a rate of 8.21% for Foryune from 12 June 20291. Before that date, ITAC set Foryune’s anti-dumping duty at 0%2.
Why does the rate start low and then climb?
The same steel already pays a safeguard duty, a temporary extra tax that protects local makers from a sudden rise in imports. SARS listed safeguard rates of 52.34%, 37.34% and 22.34% on these flat-rolled steel products under ITAC Report No. 7681.
Most Chinese makers and Foryune compared
| Question | Most Chinese makers | Foryune |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary dumping margin | 61.72% | 8.81% |
| Final dumping margin | 57.84% | 8.21% |
| Anti-dumping duty now | 5.5% | 0% |
| Anti-dumping duty from 12 June 2029 | 57.84% | 8.21% |
ITAC found that Chinese exporters sold the coil at 57.84% below normal value, and Foryune at 8.21%2. It chose to follow the European Union’s practice and charge only the gap between the dumping margin and the safeguard duty. As the safeguard duty falls each year, the anti-dumping duty rises to fill the gap2.
For most Chinese coil, the total extra charge therefore stays near 57.84% of the value while both duties apply. For Foryune, the safeguard rate is higher than its dumping margin, so no anti-dumping duty applies in the first three years2.
Who asked for the anti-dumping duties?
Two South African steel makers, ArcelorMittal South Africa and SAFAL Steel, lodged the complaint4. ITAC opened the case on 20 March 2025 through Notice 3071 of 2025 in Government Gazette No. 523484. At that stage, the complaint showed a dumping margin of 52.61% for China4.
How the case ran
ITAC looked at prices from 01 September 2023 to 31 August 2024 to measure dumping. It looked at harm to local industry from 01 September 2021 to 31 August 20242. A third local maker, Duferco, came forward during the case and was found to produce more than 40% of the local output2.
What did importers and users argue?
In September 2025, ITAC decided not to charge temporary duties while the case ran, because safeguard duties had been in place since 27 June 20252. Its preliminary finding set margins of 61.72% for most Chinese makers and 8.81% for Foryune2.
Duferco, a steel re-roller, and the Steelbank group said that charging both duties would be a double remedy. They warned it would raise costs for businesses that process the steel further2. Steelbank also said some imported grades are not made locally2.
The applicants replied that safeguard and anti-dumping duties deal with different problems. They proposed the EU approach of charging only the difference, which ITAC adopted2.
What does the duty mean for shipments from China?
ITAC measured harm to the industry of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the customs area that includes South Africa2. A shipment of this coil from China now pays the anti-dumping duty on top of the safeguard duty. The lower rate for Foryune applies only to coil made by that company3.
The next step up is on 12 June 2027, when the rate for most Chinese coil rises from 5.5% to 20.5%3.
Sources
- ↩ Tariff Amendments 2026 | South African Revenue Service https://www.sars.gov.za/legal-counsel/secondary-legislation/tariff-amendments/tariff-amendments-2026/
- ↩ BOARD ON TARIFFS AND TRADE https://itac.org.za/wp-content/uploads/REPORT-NO.-778.pdf
- ↩ Legal Counsel – Secondary Legislation – Tariff Amendments 2026 | South African Revenue Service https://www.sars.gov.za/latest-news/legal-counsel-secondary-legislation-tariff-amendments-2026-51/
- ↩ Initiation of investigation into alleged dumping of flat. https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202503/52348gen3071.pdf