In December 2025, South Africa's trade surplus decreased to ZAR 23.2 billion, down from an upwardly revised ZAR 37.9 billion in November. This contraction was driven by a more pronounced decline in exports compared to imports. Export figures fell by 12.5% month-over-month, reaching a ten-month low of ZAR 164.3 billion. This reduction was primarily attributed to significant decreases in the shipments of vehicles and transport equipment (-39%), precious metals and stones (-26%), and base metals (-8%). On the other hand, imports saw a 5.8% reduction, totaling ZAR 141.1 billion.