Export market
South Africa
What UK exporters need to know about trading with South Africa — trade status, barriers, and where to get support.
UK trade status
The UK has a free trade agreement with South Africa, giving UK exporters preferential market access.
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
Trading bloc memberships
South Africa is a member of the following trade agreements and economic blocs.
Export guidance
Relevant guidance for exporting to South Africa.
Get paid for renewable electricity you generate
How to register for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) to receive payment for renewable electricity you export to the grid. Covers solar PV, wind, and other small-scale renewables up to 5MW.
Export Control (Dual-Use Technology)
Export of goods, software, and technology with both civil and military applications requires licensing. Particularly relevant for encryption, advanced computing, AI, and surveillance technologies.
UK Export Controls for Defence Products
Navigate UK Strategic Export Control requirements for military and dual-use goods.
UKEF export finance and insurance products
Government-backed funding, insurance, and guarantees for UK exporters - record £14.5 billion support in 2024-25.
Managing export business risk and corruption
UK Bribery Act compliance, due diligence on overseas buyers, political risk assessment, and IP protection abroad.
Traveling abroad for export business
Business visas, travel insurance, temporarily exporting samples/equipment, and tax/NI for overseas work.
Start your export journey
Also in this region
All Africa marketsOfficial resources
Government export support for South Africa.
Compare with other markets
Browse every destination we track, filterable by region, agreement status and bloc.