Maize output was therefore shifted to the third quarter of 2000 and should be an important plus factor for higher growth in the second half of the year. Economic growth in South Africa during the first half of 2000 was also negatively affected by an oversupply of coal on international markets, so there was less demand for one of South Africa’s important export commodities.
Gold output continued to fall, contributing to a further decline in the value added by the mining sector. In addition, manufacturing output was affected by negative business sentiment related to the depreciation of the rand, volatile conditions in financial markets and socio-political developments in some sub-Saharan African countries.