Imports and exports

According to South Africa’s Department of Energy, the country has become a net importer of petroleum products because local refineries are currently not operating at their optimal level. The import of refined products is restricted to special cases where local producers cannot meet demand, and is subject to state control to promote local refinery utilization. Wholesalers and manufacturers can import petroleum products after receiving a permit to import issued by the International Trade Administration Commission.

In 2021, South Africa imported most of its gasoline. The country also exports liquid fuels to other African countries, such as Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland, but the volume of exports decreased in 2021.

The figure below shows the volume of South Africa’