Data Error Chinese Imports from South Africa in 2011

[Simon]

Dear WITS Users,

I am currently writing my Thesis on Sino-African Trade relations and got completely puzzled.

While analyzing Chinese Imports from South Africa in 2011, I have recognized that it jumped to $ 32 bn (up from $ 14 bn in 2010).

I did some investigation and recognised, that to the existing $16 bn of Chinese imports in SITC 3 No 0-8 there comes an additional $ 16 bn from SITC 3 No. 9 (= Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC).

Does anyone know what this huge $ 16 bn figure is about? Should it be excluded from the trade statistic between China and South Africa?

The IMF Direction of Trade Statistic shows around $ 16 bn total Chinese imports from South Africa in 2011 - so the IMF statistic does not include the $ 16 bn figure from WITS SITC 3 No. 9.

Why is this? The journals I have found so far have always referred to the trade figure excluding the $ 16bn in SITC No. 9 

I am very very grateful for any help!

Best regards

Simon