South Africa in BRICS: A Bilateral Trade Analysis

The study analyzes South Africa's trade dynamics with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, noting a significant shift toward BRICS partners since 2000. It finds that while the EU remains a major partner, South African exports to BRICS surpassed those to the EU in 2010, driven largely by Chinese demand for natural resources. The paper highlights the dominance of India and China in trade intensity and suggests that South Africa should renegotiate trade agreements with Brazil and Russia to overcome tariff barriers.

• South African exports to other BRICS countries surpassed exports to the European Union (EU) for the first time in 2010, a shift attributed to high growth in BRICS economies and a slow recovery in the EU rather than political trade diversion.
• India and China are the most influential BRICS trading partners for South Africa. India's dominance is linked to historical and cultural ties and demand for gold, while China's rising intensity is driven by its rapid economic growth and demand for resources.
• South Africa's trade balance with most BRICS countries shifted from deficit to surplus following its 2010 inclusion in the grouping, largely due to rising commodity prices and demand from emerging markets, particularly China.
• The structure of trade is characterized by a reliance on primary products for exports and sophisticated goods for imports. In 2011, the dominant exports to BRICS were inedible crude materials (34.5%), commodities and transactions (25.5%), and mineral fuels (17.6%), while imports were dominated by machinery and transport equipment (40.7%).
• Trade intensity with Brazil and Russia remains low, potentially due to high tariffs; for example, South African automobile exports to Brazil would be subject to a 35% tariff.
• While trade with BRICS stimulates economic growth, its impact on low-skill employment is uncertain because the production of primary products has become capital-intensive.

APA

Onyekwena, C., Taiwo, O., & Uneze, E. (2014). South Africa in BRICS: A Bilateral Trade Analysis. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Occasional-Paper-181.pdf

Chicago

Onyekwena, Chukwuka, Olumide Taiwo, and Eberechukwu Uneze. South Africa in BRICS: A Bilateral Trade Analysis. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Occasional-Paper-181.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Onyekwena |first1=Chukwuka |last2=Taiwo |first2=Olumide |last3=Uneze |first3=Eberechukwu |title=South Africa in BRICS: A Bilateral Trade Analysis |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Occasional-Paper-181.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{onyekwena2014south, author = {Onyekwena, Chukwuka and Taiwo, Olumide and Uneze, Eberechukwu}, title = {{South Africa in BRICS: A Bilateral Trade Analysis}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Occasional-Paper-181.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }