Economy barely grows in first quarter

South Africa's economy stagnated in the first quarter, eking out quarter-on-quarter growth of just 0.1% as contractions in sectors such as mining and manufacturing offset a strong performance by agriculture.
Africa's biggest economy has struggled to build momentum since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, with annual growth averaging less than 1% over the past decade.
Business and consumer confidence has picked up since the formation of a government of national unity (GNU) last year, but that is yet to translate into higher levels of output.
Tuesday's data was marginally better than expected, as economists polled by Reuters had predicted GDP would be unchanged from the previous quarter in seasonally adjusted terms.
Analysts and the country's top statistics official said the weak growth was worrying.
'Our economy is not growing sufficiently, and at this state, it is easy for it to slide into the negative,' statistician-general Risenga Maluleke told a press conference.

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