BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE- Eswatini has been identified alongside Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia as a key contributor to South Africa’s preliminary E20.1 billion trade surplus recorded in July 2026, according to figures released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The figures, reported by South Africa’s official news service, SAnews, show that trade with the four neighbouring countries — collectively referred to as the BELN countries — was included in the trade flows that produced the July surplus.
SARS reported exports of E194 billion against imports of E173.8 billion, resulting in the preliminary E20.1 billion surplus.
The strength of the BELN contribution becomes clearer when the figures are separated. South Africa’s trade with the rest of the world, excluding Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia, produced a preliminary surplus of E9.1 billion in July.
This means trade involving the four neighbouring countries accounted for the remaining roughly E11 billion of the overall preliminary surplus, highlighting the importance of South Africa’s immediate regional trading partners.
For Eswatini, the figures underline the country’s significance within South Africa’s regional trade network, despite its relatively small economy compared with its larger neighbour.
The July performance also represented an improvement from June, when South Africa recorded a preliminary trade surplus of E17.8 billion, later revised down to a final E17.2 billion because of ongoing Vouchers of Correction.
On a year-on-year basis, South Africa’s exports increased by 5.8 per cent, from E183.3 billion in July 2025 to E194 billion in July 2026. Imports also rose by 5.8 per cent, from E164.3 billion to E173.8 billion.
SARS attributed the growth in exports primarily to passenger motor vehicles, manganese ores and concentrates, and coal.
The revenue authority said the decline in imports compared with the previous month was mainly driven by lower imports of petroleum oils excluding crude, crude oil and telephone sets, including smartphones.
The latest figures also show that South Africa’s trade position has strengthened considerably over the first seven months of the year.
The country’s cumulative preliminary trade surplus from January to July 2026 stood at E130.9 billion, compared with E100.6 billion during the corresponding period in 2025.
The data places Eswatini within a group of neighbouring economies that continue to play an important role in South Africa’s external trade performance, while also highlighting the economic interconnectedness of the four BELN countries with the region’s largest economy.
SARS published the July trade statistics on August 31, 2026, with the figures subsequently reported by SAnews on September 1.
(Courtesy Pic)
