Integration of Southern Africa has resulted in changes in trade structures and production process across borders. The aim of this article is to present transformations taking place in the structure of trade exchange of the Southern African states (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, and South Africa) that are members of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and the position of South Africa in global value chains. South Africa seems to be the group of the most advanced countries in analyzed region. The analysis takes advantage of both the conventional methods of comprehensive study on international trade and the modern indicators and measures examining similarity, concentration or the position of South Africa in global value chains in general and sectoral terms.