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Export Market

South Africa

ISO: ZA / ZAF

Country Profile

Capital Pretoria
Population 63.1M
GDP $401.1B (2024)
GDP per Capita $6,267
Income Level Upper-Middle Income
Currency South African rand (ZAR R)
Language Afrikaans
Timezone UTC+02:00
Region Africa · Southern Africa

Trade Partners

South Africa Exports To

  • China 19.0%
  • USA 8.0%
  • Germany 7.0%
  • India 7.0%
  • UK 6.0%

Key exports: gold, platinum, coal, cars, iron ore (2023)

South Africa Imports From

  • China 21.0%
  • India 7.0%
  • USA 7.0%
  • Germany 6.0%
  • UAE 4.0%

Key imports: refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, cars, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Economic Overview

upper-middle-income, largest southern African economy; Government of National Unity facing slow growth, fiscal gaps, and structural challenges; high income inequality, unemployment, and poverty; reforms to address electricity generation, transport, and logistics; leading producer and exporter of critical minerals

Government: parliamentary republic

UK Trade Status

FTA in Force

The UK has a free trade agreement with South Africa, providing preferential market access for UK exporters.

Trade Barriers

3 active barriers affecting UK exporters

Lack of clarity in South African infrastructure procurement affecting UK exporters and investors

The South African Procurement Management Framework and Private Public Partnership (PPP) legislation are currently being updated. However, to attract UK investment a clear and robust approach to infrastructure procurement needs to be taken. South Africa has committed to a substantial …

Reported: 2 Oct 2020

Prohibitive regulations governing certification of vehicle licence plate manufacturers in South Africa

Regulations governing certification of licence plate manufacturers prohibit UK testing, inspection and certification businesses from entering South Africa. In South Africa, all vehicle licence plate manufacturing is governed by the National Road Traffic Act, (Act No. 93 of 1996) and …

Sectors: Automotive

Reported: 25 Sep 2020

Avian influenza ban on poultry from the EU impacting UK exporters in South Africa

South Africa implements safeguard duties and has an avian influenza ban on poultry meat from the EU, which affects UK poultry meat exports to the country.

Sectors: Agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and pets, Food and drink

Reported: 6 Aug 2019

Geographic Region

Africa

Trading Bloc Memberships

South Africa is a member of the following trade agreements and economic blocs.

AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area Free Trade Area

Export Guidance

Relevant guidance for exporting to South Africa.

Start Your Export Journey

Export to the EU after Brexit Start exporting from the UK Manage your export compliance

Also in This Region

🇩🇿 Algeria 🇧🇼 Botswana FTA 🇨🇲 Cameroon FTA 🇪🇬 Egypt FTA 🇸🇿 Eswatini FTA 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇬🇭 Ghana FTA 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast FTA

Official Resources

Government export support for South Africa.

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