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 11.87 billion ($858 million), up 8.2 percent from April. In the first five months of this year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof increased by 0.5 percent year on year to ZAR 57.73 billion ($4.17 billion).
In May of the current year, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof amounted to ZAR 5.02 billion ($363 million), increasing 25.1 percent from the previous month, while in the January-May period of this year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof fell by 4.7 percent year on year, amounting to ZAR 23.77 billion ($1.72 billion).