According to data released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), in December last year the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 10.79 billion ($803.76 million), down 7.6 percent from November. In 2016, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 7.2 percent year on year to ZAR 133.47 billion ($9.93 billion).
In December last year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 3.68 billion ($274.26 million), decreasing 29.1 percent from the previous month, while in 2016 South African imports of base metals and articles thereof fell by 1.7 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 59.2 billion ($4.4 billion).