According to data released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), in May this year the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 12.03 billion ($818.43 million), up 6.3 percent from April. In the January-May period of this year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 9.9 percent year on year to ZAR 56.7 billion ($3.86 billion).
In May of the current year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 4.83 billion ($328.4 million), decreasing 5.5 percent from the previous month, while in the first five months South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 3.1 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 25.96 billion ($1.76 billion).