Some major local steel enterprises opposed imported products and recommended to the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) to increase tariffs. Still, the National Employers' Association of South Africa (NEASA) said that the increased import duties on steel products in December would injure the South African local manufacturing industry.

Gerhard Papenfus, the Chief Executive of NEASA, said that the new import duties imposed last month were to protect ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA), but these duties would lead to disaster for the domestic industry.