South Africa was ranked the 23^rd largest crude steel producing country in the world in 2015 according to data by the World Steel Association (worldsteel). South Africa also produced approximately 45% of the total crude steel production of the African continent during 2015.

Total South African crude steel production as reported by the members of SAISI amounted to an estimated 6.398* million tonnes in 2015, a decrease of 0,2%, compared with 6,412 million tonnes during 2014. This represents about 0,4% of world production which reached 1 622 million tonnes in 2015 according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel), a decrease of 2,% when compared with 2014.

According to data released by the South African Revenue Service, imports of primary carbon and alloy steel products (excluding semis, stainless steel and drawn wire) during the twelve months January 2015 to December 2015 amount to 1 399 087 tonnes, an increase of 35,0% compared with 1 036 414 tonnes of primary carbon and alloy steel products imported during the corresponding twelve month period.

The range of primary carbon steel products and semi-finished products manufactured in South Africa includes billets, blooms, slabs, forgings, light-, medium- and heavy sections and bars, reinforcing bar, railway track material, wire rod, seamless tubes, plates, hot- and cold-rolled coils and sheets, electrolytic galvanised coils and sheets, tinplate and pre-painted coils and sheets.

The range of primary stainless steel products and semi-finished products manufactured in South Africa includes slabs, plates and hot- and cold-rolled coils and sheets.

According to data released by the South African Revenue Service, a volume of 1,266 million tonnes of ferrous scrap were exported and 0,074 million tonnes were imported during 2015.

   * Estimated - as from July 2008 not all data is available.