In February this year, the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 7 billion ($760 million), increasing by five percent over the previous month, according to data released by the South African Revenue Service. In the first two months of the current year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof was ZAR 13.8 billion ($1.5 billion), down 17.3 percent compared to the first two months of 2012.
In February, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof decreased by 6.3 percent compared to January this year, amounting to ZAR 3.6 billion ($388 million), while in the first two months of the year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 14.6 percent year on year to ZAR 7.4 billion ($4.3 billion).