Yachts break the city skyline ahead of the G20 finance meeting in Durban, South Africa, July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

PRETORIA, Dec 2 (Reuters) - South Africa's economy grew 0.5% in the third quarter of 2025, slower than the previous quarter's revised 0.9% growth, statistics agency data showed on Tuesday.

The third-quarter growth rate, in seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter terms, was in line with the median forecast of analysts polled by Reuters.

Nine of the 10 sectors tracked by Statistics South Africa recorded higher output, with mining and agriculture performing well though electricity, gas and water contracted.

Africa's biggest economy has struggled to build momentum over the past decade, with annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaging less than 1%.

The National Treasury expects a slight pickup in growth this year and next, reaching 1.2% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026.

Third-quarter GDP increased 2.1% on a year-on-year basis, better than economists' forecasts for 1.8% growth.

(Reporting by Kopano Gumbi;Writing by Sfundo Parakozov;Editing by Alexander Winning)