11 July 2025
Johannesburg, South Africa – As concerns mount over the United States’ announcement of a 30% tariff on all South African goods, Entrepreneurship to the Point (eTTP) has expressed the urgent need for support for SMME’s.
As diplomatic channels work to de-escalate the situation before the 1 August deadline, eTTP warns that the tariffs, which were confirmed on Monday, 7 July 2025, by US President Donald Trump in a formal letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, could significantly destabilise the progress made in building resilient, export-ready small businesses.
“This decision poses a real and immediate threat to the South African SMME sector, particularly to emerging black-owned businesses that have only recently begun to tap into global value chains,” said Shawn Theunissen, Founder of both Property Point and Entrepreneurship to the Point. “Tariffs of this scale will undercut years of development work and could collapse fledgling export relationships that SMMEs are only beginning to establish.”
eTTP aims to create economic inclusion through entrepreneurship and focuses on the creation of a robust and dynamic SMME ecosystem through business networking, access to information and business resources, as well as establishing learning opportunities.
“We’re concerned about how these tariffs will affect SMMEs across South Africa. The ripple effect that this will have must not be underestimated, not just on job creation, but on investor confidence, business survival, and long-term transformation in the South African economy,” Theunissen added.
eTTP calls on government to take swift and targeted action to protect small businesses from the worst effects of the tariffs. Immediate steps could include:
● Establishing a small business trade relief fund to cushion losses from disrupted US trade.
● Fast-tracking access to alternative international markets for SMMEs through bilateral partnerships.
● Supporting SMMEs with compliance and re-certification needs for new trading zones.
● Advocating for sector-specific tariff exemptions where possible.
“While we support President Ramaphosa’s diplomatic efforts, time is short, and the stakes are high. We need a coordinated national response that centres the needs of small businesses,” said Theunissen. “South Africa’s economic resilience depends on it.”
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Media enquiries:
Anneke Burns
Public Relations
071 423 0079
anneke@gravitas.africa
About Shawn Theunissen
Shawn Theunissen is a South African social entrepreneur dedicated to economic inclusion and SME empowerment across Africa. As the Founder of Property Point, he has driven over R1.58 billion in market opportunities for 168 SMEs, creating more than 2,244 jobs. He also founded Entrepreneurship To The Point (eTTP) to support SMEs in emerging markets. Recognised internationally. With expertise in enterprise development, market linkages, and business support, Shawn remains a leading voice in SME growth and social impact.
About Entrepreneurship to the Point
Entrepreneurship To The Point (eTTP) exists to create economic inclusion through entrepreneurship. The creation of a robust SMME ecosystem through business networking, access to information and business resources, learning opportunities and inspiration is how we will come closer to achieving equal economic opportunities for all in South Africa and beyond. eTTP was formed seven years ago under the umbrella of the award-winning business accelerator programme, Property Point, which was founded in 2008. This key relationship allows eTTP to leverage the data, knowledge and insights gained from Property Point’s engagements with entrepreneurs over the last decade to provide relevant content. To learn more about eTTP, visit https://ettp.co.za/