According to data released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), in March this year the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 12.62 billion ($1 billion), up 18.6 percent from February. In the first three months of this year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 6.7 percent year on year to ZAR 35.14 billion ($2.78 billion).
In March of the current year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 4.8 billion ($380 million), increasing 13.2 percent from the previous month, while in the January-March period of this year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof fell by 0.3 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 14.74 billion ($1.17 billion).