The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed firmer on Monday, with industrial stocks in the rise.

The major indices were pulled higher again by Naspers, by far the biggest share on the JSE, which traded 1.92 percent higher.

The all share index was up 0.38 percent to 54,468.62 points, as industrials rose 0.71 percent.

The South African rand traded back to R12.96 to the U.S. dollar ahead of the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday and global data releases. On Friday, the currency at one stage was as strong as R12.86 to the greenback.

On the JSE, petrochemical company Sasol bucked a generally weaker trend in the resource market, rising 1.1 percent to R371.93.

Among the other dual-listed shares, British American Tobacco traded 0.4 percent lower at R914.77 but Steinhoff was 0.86 percent up at R68.25.

Vodacom gained 1.44 percent to R183.1, and MTN was 1.06 percent stronger at R125.64.

The financial index was flat, it is now almost 5 percent higher over the past month. Standard Bank was 0.47 percent higher at R159.95, while Africa Barclays gained 0.48 percent at R147.41.

The resources index lost 0.01 percent as mining shares are still hampered by uncertainty about mineral rights and the strong rand. Impala Platinum dropped sharply and shed 4.34 percent to R34.26. Anglo American gained 0.64 percent at R185.64 and BHP lost 0.43 percent to R217.74.