The main export commodities include asbestos, atomic fission and fusion, coal, cocoa beans and products, copper, diamonds, ferro-chromium, gold jewellery, mineral products and sugar. The main import commodities include chemical products, various petroleum products, plastic products, professional and scientific instruments, synthetic lubricants and timber. Strict exchange controls exist for residents of the Republic and the Reserve Bank, through the authorised dealers, relaxes or tightens its controls as economic conditions change. Foreigners can freely transfer funds into South Africa for investment purposes, while certain goods imported into South Africa require an import permit, which may be obtained from the Director of Imports and Exports Control. The list of goods requiring import permits is specified each year in the annual Import Control Program.
Permits are valid for imports from any country.
South Africa uses the Harmonised System of Classification. This trading summary is provided by the International Business Centre of SCMB which provides trade finance and other export services to South African companies exporting to South Africa. A more comprehensive trade profile is available. Increasing hostility towards criticism, allegations of massive corruption in arms deals, soft-peddling on Zimbabwe and a confused AIDS policy has put the Mbeki administration under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This said, the country is far from replicating the dire situation in Zimbabwe and still has the ability to turn the situation around.