A report by the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) shows that trade between the countries has consistently favoured Dar es Salaam from 2020 to 2024, with gold accounting for the largest portion of exports.

According to the report, the United Republic of Tanzania’s exports to South Africa nearly doubled over the five-year period, rising from an average of USD 1.145 billion (approximately TZS 2.82 trillion) in 2020 to USD 2.293 billion (around TZS 5.7 trillion) in 2024, an increase of roughly TZS 2.84 trillion.

Gold was the primary driver of this growth, with exports climbing from USD 1.075 billion (about TZS 2.66 trillion) in 2023 to USD 2.226 billion (approximately TZS 5.5 trillion) in 2024. Other significant Tanzanian exports to South Africa included tobacco, coffee, cotton garments such as T-shirt singlets and vests, ceramic tiles and paving materials, oilcake and other solid residues, tea, avocados, and cashew nuts.

On the import side, the United Republic of Tanzania’s purchases from South Africa grew from USD 344 million in 2020 to USD 531 million in 2024. Key imports included vehicles, construction materials (iron and steel), beverages such as spirits and vinegar, electrical machinery, plastics, paper products, essential oils, chemicals, fruits, medical equipment, and sugar-based confectionery.

Despite the robust trade growth, the United Republic of Tanzania’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho, James Bwana, said his office has pursued targeted measures to deepen economic ties, promote trade and investment, and strengthen bilateral relations.

“Between 2024 and 2025, the High Commission focused on prioritising Tanzania’s interests by negotiating cooperation platforms between institutions in the region and their counterparts in Zanzibar,” the High Commissioner said.

These efforts included the promotion of Zanzibar as a tourist destination in 2025 and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on standards and cooperation between the Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) and the South African Bureau of Standards in March 2025.

In a bid to boost regional tourism, the High Commission also negotiated with the South African Civil Aviation Authority in 2024 to enable Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) to obtain a Flying Operation Permit (FOP).

“This has facilitated the movement of goods and services between Tanzania, South Africa, and other Southern African nations,” Ambassador Bwana said, noting that from November 2024, when ATCL resumed flights to South Africa, through December 2025, the airline carried approximately 26,268 passengers and transported 202,707 tonnes of cargo.

The resumption of direct flights between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Johannesburg, as well as Dar es Salaam–Cape Town via Victoria Falls, has enhanced tourist and business access to Tanzania, improved regional connectivity, increased investment flows, and supported Air Tanzania’s expansion in Southern Africa. The initiative also opened opportunities for code-sharing and cargo services, attracting South African leisure and business travellers to Tanzania and positioning the country as a more competitive travel hub within the SADC region.

Looking ahead, High Commissioner Bwana said trade with South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho is expected to grow rapidly in 2026, with several new MoUs scheduled for signing in the first quarter. These agreements are expected to expand market access for agricultural products, enhance investment cooperation, and promote intra-regional tourism.

Notes to Editors

• This story is anchored in trade and minerals, with important spillovers into regional integration, aviation, and tourism diplomacy. It examines how gold exports have become the dominant driver of Tanzania’s trade surplus with South Africa, reshaping bilateral economic relations within the SADC framework.

• The article draws on official data from the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade), providing a credible empirical basis for reporting on export growth, trade balances, and product diversification. Gold’s outsized contribution is contextualised alongside secondary exports such as agricultural products and manufactured goods, offering a fuller picture of Tanzania’s export basket.

• Beyond commodities, the story highlights the role of economic diplomacy. Actions by Tanzania’s High Commission, ranging from standards cooperation and tourism promotion to aviation negotiations, demonstrate how trade expansion is being actively supported through institutional and policy alignment rather than left solely to market forces.

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