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 13.45 billion ($949 million), down 6.1 percent from April. In the January-May period of this year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 5.8 percent year on year to ZAR 61.20 billion ($4.31 billion).
In May this year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 5.78 billion ($407.8 million), decreasing by 1.3 percent from the previous month, while in in the first five months of this year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 13 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 26.82 billion ($1.9 billion).