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 12 billion ($900 million), down 12.6 percent from November. In 2018, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 7.3 percent year on year to ZAR 150.74 billion ($11.3 billion).
In December last year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 3.49 billion ($261.7 million), decreasing by 38 percent from the previous month, while in 2018 South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 2.7 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 60 billion ($4.5 billion).