That dollar amount reflects a 12.1% increase over the 5-year period starting from $93.6 billion in 2021.
Year over year, overall South African spending on imported products rose 3.7% compared to $101.2 billion in 2024.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the South African rand weakened by -2.5% against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. 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 3.792% from 2024 to 2025. This compares with the 4.426% consumer price inflation rate one year earlier.
Among South Africa’s most valuable imported products in 2025 were processed petroleum oils, cars, crude oil, 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 (33%) of all South African spending on imports for 2025.
South Africa’s Best International Trade Suppliers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 63.6% of products imported into South Africa was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (22.5% of the South African total), India (7.3%), Germany (6.87%), United States of America (6.86%), Oman (3.3%), Thailand (3.27%), Saudi Arabia (3%), United Arab Emirates (2.5%), Japan (2.31%), Italy (2.29%), France (1.84%) and Spain (1.6%).
Applying a continental lens, over half (53.2%) of South Africa’s total imports by value in 2025 was purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners based in Europe supplied 26% of imported goods bought by South Africa while 9.4% worth originated from fellow African nations.
Exporters in North America accounted for another 8% 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 64.1 million people, its tally of US$105 billion spent on imports in 2025 translates to roughly $1,650 in yearly product demand from every person in the resources-rich country located at Africa’s southern tip. That per-capita amount exceeds the average $1,600 for 2024.
South Africa’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in South Africa’s import purchases during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into South Africa.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$18.5 billion (17.6% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $14 billion (13.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $10.4 billion (9.9%)
- Vehicles: $8.8 billion (8.4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.9 billion (2.7%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.5 billion (2.4%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.5 billion (2.4%)
- Gems, precious metals: $2 billion (1.9%)
- Other chemical goods: $2 billion (1.9%)
- Inorganic chemicals: $1.7 billion (1.6%)
South Africa’s top 10 imported product categories exceeded three-fifths (62.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The growth imports from 2024 to 2025 among South African import categories were vehicles (up 22.9%) led by cars then trucks, gems and precious metals (up 10.8%), then the machinery including computers group (up 8.5%).
The decliners among South Africa’s most valuable imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -5.7% from 2024) and plastics (down -1.3%) both as materials and items made from plastics.
See the more detailed product category information under the sections below.
Major Mineral Fuels Products Imported by South Africa
In 2025, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$12.6 billion (up 3.2% from 2024)
- Crude oil: $4.1 billion (down -21.6%)
- Petroleum gases: $890.1 million (up 7.3%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $292 million (up 8.5%)
- Electrical energy: $180.2 million (down -48.9%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $166.6 million (down -22.8%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $157.7 million (down -58.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $56.1 million (up 8.8%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $42.3 million (down -19.7%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $10.8 million (down -54%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 8.8%), petroleum oil residues (up 8.5%) then petroleum gases (up 7.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 2025, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$2.4 billion (up 19.7% from 2024)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.1 billion (up 17.8%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $787.6 million (up 5.7%)
- Machinery parts: $683.9 million (up 4.4%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $553.7 million (up 5.9%)
- Printing machinery: $532.3 million (down -5.3%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $505.4 million (up 2.9%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $499.5 million (up 2.6%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $464.9 million (up 37.6%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $365.4 million (down -0.9%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of miscellaneous machinery (up 37.6%), computers including optical readers (up 19.7%) then heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 17.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 2025, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$3.4 billion (up 8.2% from 2024)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $747.5 million (up 30.2%)
- Electric storage batteries: $663.7 million (up 4.1%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $585.6 million (down -25.3%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $538.9 million (up 4.3%)
- Electric motors, generators: $454.3 million (up 35.3%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $411.5 million (up 5.8%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $338.2 million (up 10.7%)
- Electrical machinery: $278.3 million (up 64.3%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $255.4 million (down -0.4%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of electrical machinery (up 64.3%), electric motors or generators (up 35.3%) then electric generating sets and converters (up 30.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 2025, South African importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$4.9 billion (up 39.7% from 2024)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $1.9 billion (up 2.8%)
- Trucks: $1.1 billion (up 26.8%)
- Tractors: $316.1 million (down -26%)
- Trailers: $136.3 million (up 0.03%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $133.5 million (up 42.2%)
- Motorcycles: $99.8 million (up 5.7%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $97.8 million (up 6.4%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $41.5 million (up 6.8%)
- Armored vehicles, tanks: $32.7 million (up 162.4%)
Among these import subcategories, South African purchases of armored vehicles including tanks (up 162.4%), public-transport vehicles (up 42.2%) then cars (up 39.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 February 18, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 18, 2026
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on February 18, 2026
Wikipedia, South Africa. Accessed on February 18, 2026
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: South African Rand to US Dollar (monthly average 2025). Accessed on February 18, 2026