South Africa imposes 5% tariff on newsprint imports to protect Sappi mill

South Africa's International Trade Administration Commission has raised the import duty on newsprint from zero to 5%, after Sappi sought protection for its Ngodwana Mill against cheap imports. The tariff, which applies to newsprint in rolls or sheets, will be reviewed after three years. Canada supplied 47.2% of South Africa's newsprint imports in 2024/25, ahead of Brazil at 19.8% and Norway at 18.3%, as Sappi's domestic market share fell from 60.8% in 2021/22 to 51.1% in 2024/25.

Why this mattersThe tariff shields South Africa's only newsprint mill as digital migration and global overcapacity squeeze margins, but raises input costs for printers and publishers.

• Itac raised the import duty on newsprint, in rolls or sheets, from duty-free to 5%, reviewable after three years
• Sappi's Ngodwana Mill is the only operational newsprint facility in South Africa and the Southern African Customs Union
• Ngodwana has annual capacity above 570,000 tonnes, of which newsprint is 110,000 tonnes, about 20%
• Import volumes rose 13% a year on average in 2021-25; in 2024/25 Canada supplied 47.2%, Brazil 19.8% and Norway 18.3%
• Domestic capacity utilisation fell from 68.5% in 2021/22 to 46.1% in 2024/25; market share fell from 60.8% to 51.1%
• Ngodwana contributed USD 0.6bn (ZAR 9.9bn) to Mpumalanga's GDP in 2025 and supports 1,500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs

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