AFRIQUE DU SUD PERSPECTIVE

South African media cover MC14 with militant engagement, South Africa being the most vocal African country against the CBAM and the de facto leader of the African Group at the WTO. The Daily Maverick publishes a fiery editorial titled 'CBAM: Climate-Version Neocolonialism,' arguing the EU imposes environmental standards without adequate compensation for African countries structurally dependent on carbon-intensive commodity exports.

The Mail & Guardian highlights the African Group's position: rules encouraging local critical mineral processing, concessional finance and technology transfer. News24 notes South Africa, with 80% of electricity from coal, will be hit hard by the CBAM on steel and aluminum exports to the EU.

The anti-apartheid heritage structures coverage: apartheid-era sanctions showed punitive trade measures affect the most vulnerable first. The SABC relays the South African Trade Minister's statements at Yaoundé, calling the CBAM 'wealth transfer from South to North under green transition cover.'