That dollar amount reflects a 47.4% increase over the 5-year period starting from $68.7 billion in 2020.
Year over year, overall South African spending on imported products fell by -5.6% compared to $107.3 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the South African rand strengthened by 0.6% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. South Africa’s modestly stronger local currency makes its imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from the South African rand.
Domestically, South Africa’s inflation rate for average consumer prices increased by 4.703% from 2023 to 2024. This compares with the 5.9% consumer price inflation rate one year earlier.
Among South Africa’s most valuable imported products in 2024 were processed petroleum oils, crude oil, cars, phone devices including smartphones, computers, medication mixes in dosage, automotive parts or accessories, gold, heavy machinery including bulldozers and excavators, then trucks
Those leading import commodities approached one-third (32.1%) of all South African spending on imports for 2024.
South Africa’s Best International Trade Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 63.3% of products imported into South Africa was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (21.5% of the South African total), India (7.2%), Germany (7%), United States of America (6.9%), Thailand (3.2%), Oman (2.9%), United Arab Emirates (also 2.9%), Nigeria (2.5%), Saudi Arabia (2.4%), Italy (also 2.4%), Japan (2.3%) and France (1.9%).
Applying a continental lens, over half (51.3%) of South Africa’s total imports by value in 2024 was purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 26.5% of imported goods bought by South Africa while 10.6% worth originated from fellow African nations.
Exporters in North America accounted for another 8.1% of South Africa’s imports.
Smaller percentages came from providers in Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and those in Oceania (1.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given South Africa’s population of 61.5 million people, its tally of $101.3 billion for imports in 2024 translates to roughly $1,600 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 $1,750 for 2023.
South Africa’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in South Africa’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into South Africa.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$19.6 billion (19.3% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $12.9 billion (12.8%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $9.9 billion (9.7%)
- Vehicles: $7.1 billion (7.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.9 billion (2.9%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.4 billion (2.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.4 billion (2.4%)
- Other chemical goods: $2 billion (2%)
- Gems, precious metals: $1.8 billion (1.8%)
- Iron, steel: $1.7 billion (1.7%)
South Africa’s top 10 imported product categories exceeded three-fifths (62%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The growth imports from 2023 to 2024 among South African import categories were gems and precious metals (up 26%) led by gold, plastics including both materials and items made from plastic (up 9.7%), then the metals iron and steel (up 7.2%).
The decliners among South Africa’s most valuable imported products were electrical machinery and equipment (down -20.1% from 2023), vehicles (down -14.7%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -12.9%).
See the more detailed product category information under the sections below.
Major Mineral Fuels Products Imported by South Africa
In 2024, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$12.2 billion (down -19.5% from 2023)
- Crude oil: $5.2 billion (up 7.4%)
- Petroleum gases: $829.8 million (up 6.5%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $378.2 million (down -27.4%)
- Electrical energy: $352.5 million (up 4.4%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $269.5 million (down -18.7%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $215.4 million (down -35.3%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $52.7 million (down -23%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $51.3 million (down -24.7%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $23.4 million (down -38.5%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of crude oil (up 7.4%), petroleum gases (up 6.5%) then electrical energy (up 4.4%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
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 2024, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$2 billion (up 1.7% from 2023)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $899.2 million (down -17.2%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $746.3 million (up 45.9%)
- Machinery parts: $655.7 million (down -2.7%)
- Printing machinery: $562.1 million (up 3.6%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $523.3 million (up 6.1%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $492 million (up 5.9%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $486.8 million (up 4.3%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $370 million (up 13.7%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $338.2 million (down -16.8%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 45.9%), air or vacuum pumps (up 13.7%) then liquid pumps and elevators (up 6.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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 2024, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$3.1 billion (down -1.3% from 2023)
- Electrical converters/power units: $782.8 million (down -34.8%)
- Electric storage batteries: $637.5 million (down -68.1%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $571.5 million (up 5.9%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $516 million (down -8.9%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $407.6 million (down -60.8%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $389.1 million (down -8.7%)
- Electric motors, generators: $336.4 million (up 2.1%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $306.1 million (up 12.8%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $256.8 million (down -11.9%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 12.8%), electric generating sets or converters (up 5.9%) then electric motors and generators (up 2.1%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
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 2024, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$3.5 billion (down -13.7% from 2023)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $1.8 billion (down -1.6%)
- Trucks: $831.8 million (down -28.2%)
- Tractors: $423.5 million (down -41.8%)
- Trailers: $135.6 million (down -20.7%)
- Motorcycles: $94.7 million (up 11.5%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $94.5 million (up 1.7%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $92.9 million (down -3.8%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $39 million (up 4.1%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $26.7 million (down -0.1%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of motorcycles (up 11.5%), motorcycle parts or accessories (up 4.1%) then public-transport vehicles (up 1.7%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
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 6, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Wikipedia, South Africa. Accessed on March 6, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: South African Rand to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on March 6, 2025