South Africa Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in South Africa, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals.
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Prohibited and Restricted Imports
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Prohibitions 

The importation of the following goods into South Africa is prohibited:

  • Narcotic and habit-forming drugs in any form
  • Fully automatic, military, and unnumbered weapons, explosives, and fireworks
  • Poison and other toxic substances
  • Cigarettes with a mass of more than 2 kilograms per 1,000
  • Goods to which a trade description or trademark is applied in contravention of any Act (for example, counterfeit goods)
  • Unlawful reproductions of any works subject to copyright
  • Prison-made and penitentiary-made goods
     

Permits

Each year, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC) publishes a list of goods requiring import permits in an annual Import Control Program, which covers imports from any country. The Directorate of Import and Export Control of DTIC administers the issuance of permits, though, for some imports, the DTIC may require additional and prior authorization from other departments. By notice in the Government Gazette, the Minister of Trade and Industry may prescribe that goods of a specified class or kind may not be imported into South Africa, except under the authority of, and in accordance with, the conditions stated in a permit issued by ITAC.

Categories

The main categories of controlled imports are as follows:

Used goods: ITAC may grant import permits on used goods or substitutes if not manufactured domestically, thus creating a de facto ban on most used goods. While these restrictions are intended to protect domestic manufacturing in sectors such as clothing, motor vehicles, machinery, and plastics, they also limit imports of various low-cost used goods from the United States and Europe—including waste, scrap, ashes, and residues. These import controls aim to safeguard human health and the environment in line with the Basel Convention.

Other harmful substances: The South African Government controls the imports of substances such as ozone-depleting chemicals, under the Montreal Convention and chemicals used in illegal drug manufacturing, under the 1988 United Nations Convention. Goods subject to quality specifications: these restrictions allow authorities to monitor manufacturing standards to enhance product safety—such as vehicle tires—and to protect human health and safety.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) requires and issues sanitary-phytosanitary certificates for the importation of poultry, beef, pork (including lard), hides and skins, animal hair and bristles, and honey products. Other products that require import permits include fish and fish products, residues, petroleum products, firearms and ammunition, gambling equipment, and radioactive chemical elements.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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