JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's growth probably moderated in the second quarter but the recovery is still intact and the economy will grow in 2010 more than the 2.3 percent projected in February, the finance minister said.
"We have seen a gradual improvement in economic conditions. The pace of growth probably moderated somewhat in the second quarter," the Business Day newspaper quoted Pravin Gordhan as saying on Friday.
South Africa's economy grew by 4.6 percent quarter-on- quarter in the first quarter, quickening the pace of a recovery that started in the third quarter of 2009, after the country's first recession since 1992.
Data has shown manufacturing -- a key contributor to GDP -- was slowing partly on concerns about a slowdown in Europe.
Gordhan said the economy was still on course for a recovery and growth in calendar 2010 would likely be more that the 2.3 percent the Treasury forecast in February.
"The recovery in South Africa has been stronger than expected, and we don't see ourselves making major revisions to the forecast at this point," he said.
The Treasury releases its official growth forecasts twice a year in February and October.
