In South Africa, trade surplus reached R3.52 billion ($255.7 million) in May this year, against R1.17 billion a month earlier, data from the S.A Revenue Service (SARS) showed.

The country recorded a 16% month-on-month increase in exports which stood at R102.61 billion over the period under review. Meanwhile, imports grew 13.5% to R99.09 billion.

This trade surplus growth is attributable to monthly surges in exports of vehicles and transport equipment (+29%), vegetables (+56%), chemical products (+28%), as well as machinery and electronic equipment (+14%).

Over the first five months of 2018, however, South Africa's trade balance recorded a R14.18 billion deficit, down from the R16.41 billion the same period in 2017.