According to data released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), in September this year the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 10.9 billion ($743.4 million), down 5.3 percent from August. In the January-September period of this year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof decreased by 4.2 percent year on year to ZAR 107.02 billion ($7.3 billion).
In September this year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 5.13 billion ($350 million), decreasing by nine percent from the previous month, while in in the first nine months of this year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 8.1 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 48.37 billion ($3.3 billion).