South Africa continued to maintain a relatively strong trade balance in the third quarter of 2025, in constant 2025 Rand, for the tenth consecutive quarter. The trade surplus increased to R44 billion in the third quarter of 2025, from R36 billion in the third quarter of 2024. However, there is a quarter-on-quarter decrease of just over a fifth between the second and third quarters of 2025. Year-on-year exports show higher growth compared to imports. Exports grew by R11 billion to R540 billion in the year to the third quarter of 2025 compared to R7 billion growth to R497 billion for imports in the same period.
However, the value of the Top 5 export products decreased by almost R6 billion in the year to the third quarter of 2025, with bituminous coal and diesel-powered goods vehicles exports being the key contributors to the decline. In contrast, the value of the Top 5 import products increased by almost R6 billion. Crude imports decreased by R7 billion. However, there was a R7 billion increase in imports of components for goods vehicles, as well as an almost R5 billion increase in diesel imports, both of which countered the decrease in crude imports between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025.