A correction to results by Magi (2009) is presented here. By combining the in situ measurements of speciated aerosol mass concentrations with concurrent measurements of total aerosol optical properties at a wavelength of 550 nm, it is shown that ~66 % of scattering is due to carbonaceous aerosol, where derived mass scattering cross sections (MSC) for OC and BC are 3.8 ± 0.5 m² g⁻¹ and 2.9 ± 0.8 m² g⁻¹, respectively. Derived values of mass absorption cross sections (MAC) for OC and BC are 0.7 ± 0.2 m² g⁻¹ and 12.1 ± 0.8 m² g⁻¹, respectively. The values of MAC imply that ~21 % of the mid-visible aerosol absorption in southern Africa is due to OC, with the remainder due to BC. SSA for BC and OC are about the same as Magi (2009). The results here are determined using an approach that accounts for the fact that OC and BC are partially scattering and absorbing.