On the equities market, the blue chips index rose while the broader index gave up earlier gains, as policy uncertainty in the US forced investors to seek safe haven assets.
The rand did not benefit from a surprise rise in retail sales that boosted hopes the South African economy was set to avoid slipping into a technical recession in the first quarter of this year.
The currency traded at 13.2150 per dollar by 1541 GMT, weakening 1.23% compared with its New York close 13.0550 on Tuesday, which was a three-week high.
Rand Merchant Bank currency strategist John Cairns wrote in a note that the weaker dollar was initially great for the rand.
