In March this year, the value of South Africa's exports of base metals and articles thereof totaled ZAR 7.9 billion ($873 million), increasing by 12 percent over the previous month, according to data released by the South African Revenue Service. In the first quarter of the current year, South Africa's export value of base metals and articles thereof was ZAR 21.7 billion ($2.4 billion), down 11.4 percent compared to the first three months of 2012.
In March, the country's imports of base metals and articles thereof increased by 7.3 percent compared to February this year, amounting to ZAR 3.85 billion ($427 million), while in the first quarter of the year South African imports of base metals and articles thereof rose by 15.2 percent year on year to ZAR 11.3 billion ($1.25 billion).