South Africa's manufacturing output contracts in Q1

JOHANNESBURG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's manufacturing production, one of the country's pillar industries, contracted in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, dragged down by the production of motor vehicles, iron and steel, as well as related products, official data showed on Thursday.

In Q1, seasonally adjusted manufacturing production decreased by one percent compared with the fourth quarter last year, with five of the 10 manufacturing divisions reporting negative growth over the period, according to data released by Statistics South Africa.