South Africa says its economy, one of Africa's biggest, is in recession. The government's statistics agency said today that a 0.7 per cent decline in GDP in the first quarter of this year followed a 0.3 per cent contraction in the last quarter of 2016. Statistics South Africa says trade fell by 5.9 per cent and manufacturing declined by 3.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2017.<br/>'<br/>Scandals surrounding President Jacob Zuma have had financial fallout. This year, Fitch and Standard & Poor's lowered South Africa's credit rating to below investment grade after Zuma fired a widely respected finance minister.