South Africa's trade surplus shrank to ZAR 23.2 billion in December 2025 from the upwardly revised ZAR 37.9 billion in the prior month, as exports fell much faster than imports. Exports slipped by 12.5% month-over-month to a ten-month low of ZAR 164.3 billion, mainly due to lower shipments of vehicles & transport equipment (-39%); precious metals & stones (-26%) and base metals (-8%). Meanwhile, imports dropped by 5.8% to ZAR 141.1 billion, as steep declines in purchases of machinery & electronics (-17%); base metals (-11%) and textiles (-11%) outweighed a 21% jump in original equipment components. source: South African Revenue Service

South Africa recorded a trade surplus of 23180 ZAR Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in South Africa averaged 1707.12 ZAR Million from 1957 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 52741.21 ZAR Million in March of 2021 and a record low of -36126.73 ZAR Million in April of 2020. This page provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. South Africa Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

South Africa recorded a trade surplus of 23180 ZAR Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in South Africa is expected to be 13000.00 ZAR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Africa Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 20300.00 ZAR Million in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-31 12:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Nov ZAR 37.7B ZAR15B ZAR 30.0B
2026-01-30 12:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Dec ZAR23.18B ZAR37.92B ZAR 13B
2026-02-27 12:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Jan ZAR23.18B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 23180.00 37920.00 ZAR Million Dec 2025
Current Account -57023.00 -72223.00 ZAR Million Sep 2025
Current Account to GDP -0.60 -1.60 percent of GDP Dec 2024
Exports 164263.21 187634.46 ZAR Million Dec 2025
Exports by Category
Exports by Country
External Debt 193047.00 180237.00 USD Million Sep 2025
Foreign Direct Investment -21000.00 -73452.00 ZAR Million Sep 2025
Gold Reserves 125.50 125.47 Tonnes Dec 2025
Imports 141086.64 149714.74 ZAR Million Dec 2025
Imports by Category
Imports by Country
Terms of Trade 110.60 110.00 points Sep 2025
Terrorism Index 0.00 0.00 Points Dec 2024
Tourist Arrivals 1339217.00 1263598.00 Dec 2025
Weapons Sales 27.00 58.00 SIPRI TIV Million Dec 2024


South Africa Balance of Trade
In 2021, South Africa recorded a trade surplus for the fifth consecutive year. The top exports of South Africa are mineral products; base metals and articles of base metal; vehicles and aircraft vessels and machinery (6.8 percent), shipped primarily to China, the United States and Germany. The top imports of South Africa are machinery, mineral products, chemicals and vehicles & transport equipment, sourced mainly from China, India and the United States.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
23180.00 37920.00 52741.21 -36126.73 1957 - 2025 ZAR Million Monthly

News Stream
South Africa Trade Surplus Narrows in December
South Africa's trade surplus shrank to ZAR 23.2 billion in December 2025 from the upwardly revised ZAR 37.9 billion in the prior month, as exports fell much faster than imports. Exports slipped by 12.5% month-over-month to a ten-month low of ZAR 164.3 billion, mainly due to lower shipments of vehicles & transport equipment (-39%); precious metals & stones (-26%) and base metals (-8%). Meanwhile, imports dropped by 5.8% to ZAR 141.1 billion, as steep declines in purchases of machinery & electronics (-17%); base metals (-11%) and textiles (-11%) outweighed a 21% jump in original equipment components.
2026-01-30
South Africa Posts Widest Trade Surplus in Nearly 4 Years
South Africa's trade surplus rose to ZAR 37.7 billion in November 2025, the largest since March 2022, up from a downwardly revised ZAR 15 billion in the prior month. Imports tumbled 14.9% month-over-month to a five-month low of ZAR 150 billion, with four of the five main product sections posting declines, led by original equipment components (-51%). Purchases also fell significantly for mineral products (-24%); vehicles & transport equipment (-19%) and chemical products (-18%). Meanwhile, exports fell at a softer 1.9% to ZAR 188 billion, as reduced shipments of vegetable products (-37%) and base metals (-9%) were offset by increases in optical photographic products (90%), mineral products (6%) and vehicles & transport equipment (5%).
2025-12-31
South Africa Trade Surplus Narrows in October
South Africa's trade surplus shrank to ZAR 15.6 billion in October 2025 from an upwardly revised ZAR 22.3 billion in the prior month. Imports jumped by 7.2% over a month to ZAR 176.6 billion, on account of mineral products (+15%), namely crude oil; precious metals & stones (+29%); original equipment components (+18%); base metals (+18%) and vehicles transport equipment (+8%). Imports increased from Africa (+20%) and Asia (+12.4%), but fell from Europe (-3.5%) and the Americas (-1.2%). Meanwhile, exports rose at a slower 2.8% to ZAR 192.2 billion, mainly boosted by shipments of precious metals & stones (+21%), of which gold, diamonds, and unwrought aluminium; and base metals (+21%). Conversely, exports declined sharply for vegetable products (-35%). Overseas sales went up to Africa (+8.3%), but decreased to all other destinations including the Americas (-7.9%), Asia (-2.6%), Europe (-4.1%) and Oceania (-10.2%).
2025-11-28