File: South African Rands. GettyImages/RapidEye
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s economy managed to stay in positive territory in the third quarter, with GDP rising by 0.5 percent.
Trade, catering and accommodation were up 1 percent as consumers kept spending on retail, hospitality and food services.
Mining also delivered a strong 2.3 percent lift, thanks to higher output of PGMs, manganese and coal.
Finance, business services and government each added 0.1 percentage points to growth, while agriculture grew 1.1 percent on stronger crop and livestock activity.
Manufacturing, however, barely budged at just 0.3 percent and four divisions remained in the red.
The drag came from electricity, gas and water, which shrank 2.5 percent as power production and consumption fell.
On the expenditure side, household spending firmed 0.7 percent on the back of transport, food and housing costs.