JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's economy grew at 2.5 percent in 2012, according to official data released Tuesday, as growth in Africa's largest economy slowed.
The annual figure was in line with government forecasts, but was down from 3.5 percent in 2011.
As many countries in Africa enjoy unprecedented sustained growth, South Africa's economy risks becoming tripped up, with confidence hit by a series of ratings downgrades and sclerotic policy implementation.
The government has touted an all-encompassing National Development Plan to eliminate poverty by 2030, but which has failed to impress analysts.
The growth figures come exactly a month before South Africa hosts a summit of large emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China the BRICS.
South Africa remains the laggard of the group despite signs of a pickup in performance toward the end of last year, with growth reaching 2.1 percent in the last quarter of 2012.
But analysts warned the sluggish rate would not solve the country's nagging poverty and unemployment.
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