Chang, aged 63, was arrested in Johannesburg on 29 December 2018 on a US warrant over corruption allegations — despite a separate request from Mozambique that emerged following the arrest as the former minister was on his way from Maputo to Dubai.
Chang was arrested over his alleged involvement in $2.0 billion fraudulent loans to Mozambican state firms.
Both the US and Mozambique have issued their own extradition requests over the scandal that has shaken the southern African country’s economy.
US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy said he expected Pretoria to honour the extradition accord it signed with Washington in September 1999.
“We have an extradition treaty with South Africa. We are very much expecting (extradition) will happen,” Nagy told journalists during a phone briefing on Tuesday.
“The US expects South Africa to respond by extraditing Mr Chang to the United States.”
A South African court is considering the complex law applicable to the conflicting demands and will consider Chang’s case on 18 March.
However, last month South African Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu indicated that Chang would be handed to Maputo as it would be “the easiest thing for everybody.”
Such a move would no doubt leave the sanctioning government of President Donald Trump not only infuriated with Pretoria, but become a possible target of some form of sanctions.