The South African rand took a knock against a firmer dollar in early trade on Friday, as global markets remained on edge over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats.

Citing false claims that white South Africans are being persecuted, Trump has cut aid to the country, publicly berated its president in the Oval Office and invited Afrikaners - descendants of early European settlers - to come to the United States as refugees.

President Donald Trump revealed new higher tariff rates for more than a dozen countries after hitting Japan and South Korea first earlier in the day.