That dollar amount reflects an 21.5% increase over the 5-year period starting from $88.2 billion in 2019.
Year over year, overall South African spending on imported products decreased by -4.2% compared to $111.9 billion in 2022.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, the South African rand declined by -27.7% against the US dollar since 2019 and depreciated by -12.8% from 2022 to 2023. South Africa’s weaker local currency makes its imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the South African rand.
Domestically, South Africa’s inflation rate for average consumer prices increased by 5.842% from 2022 to 2023. This compares with the 6.869% consumer price inflation rate one year earlier.
Among South Africa’s most valuable imported products in 2023 were processed petroleum oils, crude oil, cars, phone devices including smartphones, electric storage devices, computers, automotive parts or accessories, unused stamps, medication mixes in dosage, then electrical converters and power units. Those leading import commodities represent over one-third (35.2%) of all South African spending on imports for 2023.
South Africa’s Best International Trade Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 63.3% of products imported into South Africa were furnished by exporters in: mainland China (11.3% of the South African total), United States of America (7.6%), Germany (7.1%), Mozambique (5.6%), Japan (5.2%), United Kingdom (4.8%), India (4.6%), Netherlands (3.9%), Botswana (3.8%), Belgium (3.4%), Zimbabwe (3.1%) and Namibia (3%).
Applying a continental lens, 49.4% of South Africa’s total imports by value in 2023 were purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 28.8% of imported goods bought by South Africa while 9.9% worth originated from fellow African nations. North American exporters accounted for another 8.1% of South Africa’s imports.
Smaller percentages came from Latin America (2.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and providers in Oceania (1.4%) led by Australia.
Given South Africa’s population of 61.5 million people, its tally of $107.2 billion for imports in 2023 translates to roughly $1,750 in yearly product demand from every person in the resources-rich country located at Africa’s southern tip. That per-capita amount lags the average $1,800 for 2022.
South Africa’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in South Africa’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into South Africa.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$22.5 billion (21% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $12.9 billion (12%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $12.3 billion (11.5%)
- Vehicles: $8.4 billion (7.8%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.6 billion (2.5%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.4 billion (2.3%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.3 billion (2.2%)
- Other chemical goods: $2 billion (1.8%)
- Books, newspapers, pictures: $1.9 billion (1.8%)
- Iron, steel: $1.6 billion (1.5%)
South Africa’s top 10 imports approached two-thirds (64.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The growth imports from 2022 to 2023 among South African import categories were electrical machinery and equipment (up 17.9%), machinery including computers (up 2.8%), then optical, technical and medical apparatus (up 1.1%).
The severest decliners among South Africa’s most valuable imported products were plastics both as materials and items made from plastic (down -18.2% from 2022), and miscellaneous chemical goods (down -12.7%).
See the more detailed product category information under the sections below.
Major Mineral Fuels Products Imported by South Africa
In 2023, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$15.2 billion (down -18.9% from 2022)
- Crude oil: $4.8 billion (up 9%)
- Petroleum gases: $779 million (down -3.7%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $521.6 million (up 1%)
- Electrical energy: $337 million (up 6.5%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $333.2 million (up 7.4%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $331.5 million (up 23.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $67.9 million (up 28.9%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $67.6 million (down -5.6%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $37.9 million (up 90.3%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of high temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 90.3%), petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 28.9%), then petroleum oil residues (up 23.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among South African businesses and consumers.
Major Machinery Products Imported by South Africa
In 2023, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$2 billion (down -5.2% from 2022)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.1 billion (up 11.9%)
- Machinery parts: $673.9 million (up 0.8%)
- Printing machinery: $543.8 million (down -3%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $510.6 million (down -0.3%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $493 million (down -3.3%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $466.4 million (down -8.2%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $464.3 million (up 3%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $406.6 million (up 25.8%)
- Engines (diesel): $388.5 million (up 35.9%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of diesel engines (up 35.9%), miscellaneous machinery (up 25.8%), then heavy machinery like bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 11.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among South African businesses and consumers.
Major Electronics Products Imported by South Africa
In 2023, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$3.1 billion (down -10.1% from 2022)
- Electric storage batteries: $2 billion (up 98.3%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $1.2 billion (up 63.2%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $1 billion (up 140.9%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $566.2 million (up 12.5%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $537 million (up 116.4%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $425.2 million (up 8.4%)
- Electric motors, generators: $328.9 million (up 4.5%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $291.1 million (up 30.2%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $271.1 million (down -14.2%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 140.9%), electric generating sets and converters (up 116.4%), then electric storage batteries (up 98.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among South African businesses and consumers.
Major Vehicles Products Imported by South Africa
In 2023, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$4.1 billion (down -9.9% from 2022)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $1.8 billion (up 3.9%)
- Trucks: $1.2 billion (up 13.3%)
- Tractors: $725.3 million (up 35.1%)
- Trailers: $170.7 million (up 18.2%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $97 million (up 74.8%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $92.8 million (down -4.8%)
- Motorcycles: $85 million (down -22%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $37.5 million (down -26.6%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $26.9 million (down -8.4%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of special purpose vehicles (up 74.8%), tractors (up 35.1%) then trailers (up 18.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among South African businesses and consumers.
See also South Africa’s Top 10 Exports, Top South African Trading Partners and Top African Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on March 29, 2024
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on March 29, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 29, 2024
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on March 29, 2024
Wikipedia, South Africa. Accessed on March 29, 2024