Share prices on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed firmer on Wednesday on higher commodity prices.

The South Africa's rand, was also slightly firmer despite shocking employment figures released by the Statics South Africa on Tuesday.

The South African rand traded at R12.97 to the U.S. dollar, R14.74 to the euro and R16.75 to the British pound at close session.

The all-share index closed 0.32 percent higher at 51,596.84 points, while the top 40 index was 0.48 percent up at 45,504.55 points.

The financial index gained 0.83 percent, but the Industrial index (which includes most of the big dual-listed shares) was off 0.09 percent. The resources sector was 0.96 percent stronger, but the gold index dropped 3.24 percent.

The financial index was mixed as Standard Bank gained but Barclays Africa and FirstRand declined. Standard Bank was 0.67 percent stronger at R144.5, but Barclays Africa shed 0.34 percent to R145.59. FirstRand lost 1.61 percent to R47.49.

Insurance shares performed better. Sanlam traded 1.11 percent higher at R65.55 and Old Mutual gained 1.78 percent to R33.09.

Naspers declined 1.07 percent to R2,580, but other giants such as Richemont and British American Tobacco traded firmer. Richemont added 0.79 percent to R108.25 and British American Tobacco gained 0.5 percent at R900.99.

Among the commodity, giants BHP added 1.99 percent to R197.65 and Anglo American added 1.58 percent to R170.55.