The South African government has announced that it has imposed 10 percent customs duty on certain steel section imports, including channels, I-beams, H-beams and other angles, shapes and sections, not further worked than hot rolled, hot-drawn or extruded.
The products in question currently fall under Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7216.31, 7216.32, 7216.33 and 7216.50.
On November 24, 2015, following an application from Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited, South African subsidiary of Russia-based steelmaking and mining giant Evraz, for an increase in the rate of customs duty on structural steel, classifiable under tariff subheadings 7216.31, 7216.32, 7216.33 and 7216.50, from zero duty to 10 percent, South Africa's International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) stated that the imposition of duties on the mentioned products while Evraz Highveld temporarily ceased its manufacturing operations would have an unnecessary cost-raising effect and the implementation of the proposed duties will have to be deferred until the applicant resumes its operations.
Evraz Highveld has recently reopened its heavy section mill after signing an agreement with Africa's largest steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa, according to which ArcelorMittal South Africa will supply blooms and slabs to Evraz Highveld’s structural mill for processing into heavy structural steel.