The deficit narrowed to 7.94 billion rand ($930 million) as imports of vehicles, aircraft and vessels dropped and labour unrest ebbed, allowing mining exports to tick up.

The deficit shrank more than 60 percent from October, when a slump in metals exports led to a shockingly high trade gap.

Mining output had been significantly slowed by a wave of deadly labour strikes which curbed platinum and gold production.

But in November the export of precious and semi-precious stones and metals increased by 26 percent.