South Africa was ranked the 21'st largest crude steel producing country in the world by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) in 2008. South Africa is also the largest steel producer in Africa, producing 48% of the total crude steel production of the continent during 2008.

Total South African crude steel production as reported by the members of SAISI amounted to 8,176* million tonnes in 2008, a decrease of 9,0%, compared with 8,986 million tonnes during 2007. This represents about 0,6% of world production which reached 1 327,3 million tonnes in 2008 according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel), a decrease of 1,8% when compared with 2007.

Carbon steel deliveries by the South African primary steel industry amounted to 6,535* million tonnes in 2008, a decrease of 10,6% compared with 2007. During 2008 5,415* million tonnes of carbon steel products were sold on the local market, representing an increase of 1,7% compared with 2007. During 2008 1,120* million tonnes of carbon steel products were exported, a decrease of 43,6% compared with 2007.

Imports of carbon and alloy primary steel products (excluding semis, stainless steel and drawn wire) during 2008 amounted to 0,560 million tonnes, an increase of 16,3% compared with 2007. Imports during 2008 accounted for 9,4% of apparent domestic carbon and alloy steel consumption compared to 8,3% of apparent domestic carbon and alloy steel consumption during 2007.

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.

A volume of 1,270 million tonnes of ferrous-scrap were exported and 0,086 million tonnes were imported in 2008.

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

Updated: 23 February 2009