In May this year, the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 8.1 billion ($816 million), decreasing by 6.5 percent from the previous month, according to data released by the South African Revenue Service. In the first five months of the current year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof was ZAR 38.5 billion ($3.9 billion), down 1.1 percent compared to the first five months of 2012.
In May, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 4 billion ($401 million), while in the first five months of the year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 21.7 percent year on year to ZAR 19.6 billion ($2 billion).