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 21.01 billion ($1.12 billion), up 10.2 percent from April. In the January-May period, South Africa’s export value of base metals and articles thereof rose by 17.8 percent year on year to ZAR 97.14 billion ($5.19 billion).
In May, the country’s imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 8.94 billion ($478.12 million), rising by 2.7 percent from the previous month, while in the first five months of the year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof moved up by 3.3 percent year on year to ZAR 41.37 billion ($2.21 billion).