South Africa's economy shrank 1.3 percent in the final three months of 2022 to return below pre-pandemic levels as record power shortages hit activity, official data showed Tuesday.

"After rallying in the third quarter of 2022, South African gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter," the national statistics agency StatSA said, adding that "GDP fell below pre-pandemic levels" in the fourth quarter of last year.