President Cyril Ramaphosa has engaged his counterpart US President Donald Trump after the start of 30% punitive tariffs.

The Presidency said the two leaders held a telephone call on bilateral trade matters on Thursday morning. The two leaders agreed to continue their engagements, recognising the current trade negotiations of the US. Their respective trade negotiators will engage further, it added.

South Africa has failed in its attempts to reach a trade deal framework with the US, despite weeks of negotiations with trade representatives from the world's largest economy.

In April Trump announced “reciprocal tariffs” on South Africa and other countries, only to suspend them until August pending negotiations. Eleventh-hour talks failed to produce an agreed framework, meaning the tariffs are set to kick in on Thursday.

Briefing the media after this week's cabinet meeting, minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said it received an update on the framework deal with the US with the provision that the tariffs will be reviewed as soon as the two countries reach a deal.

She said the cabinet affirmed the government's commitment to finding constructive and sustainable solutions through continued engagements with the US, including at a presidential level.