Minor activity

South Africa is a commodity powerhouse, with the world’s largest resources of gold, chromium, manganese, alumino-silicates and platinum-group metals, according to a 2008 report by the country’s Department of Minerals and Energy. But the abundance of raw materials in South Africa stands in contrast with a lack of interest by financial market players.

Until recently, local investors have had few ways to take exposure to commodities. The launch of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) linked to the price o