Johannesburg - South Africa's trade deficit was R24.2 billion in January, the SA Revenue Service said on Friday.
The R24.2bn deficit for January 2015 was due to exports of R67bn and imports of R91.3bn,” Sars said in a statement.
“Exports decreased from December 2014 to January 2015 by R20.2bn (23.1 percent) and imports increased from December 2014 to January 2015 by R10.7bn (13.3 percent).”
The trade statistics include country trade data for Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland.
The cumulative deficit for 2015 was R24.2bn, compared to R16.5bn in 2014.
Precious metals and stones exports decreased by R5.2bn (35.4 percent).
Month-on-month, mineral products exports decreased R4.4bn (19.4 percent), vehicles and transport equipment decreased by R2.3bn (27.3 percent), and machinery and electronics R2bn (25 percent).
Mineral products imports improved by R1bn (6.2 percent), equipment components R1.8bn (44.7 percent), vehicles and transport equipment R1.2bn (14.8 percent), and machinery and electronics R2bn (10.2 percent).
South Africa recorded a R7.9 million surplus with Africa, having exported goods worth R20m and imported goods worth R12m.
Trade with America registered a deficit of R3.2m, while trade with Asia showed a deficit of R21m.
Trade with Europe saw a R10m deficit while trade with Oceania registered a R479m deficit.
Sapa