JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's unemployment rate has slightly declined to 27.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 from 27.5 percent the previous quarter, data released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday showed.

Figures reveal that 149,000 jobs were added in the fourth quarter, mainly driven by the financial sector, private households and the manufacturing industry.

Community and social services and transport industries recorded employment losses.

Statistician General of South Africa Risenga Maluleke said that five of the nine provinces recorded employment gains, with Gauteng adding 86,000 jobs.

Maluleke said that post-high school qualification played a significant part in reducing unemployment.

Prof Jannie Rossouw of Wits Economic and Business Science School said job creation would continue if the economy grows this year.

However, he said the ongoing power outages "would have a negative impact on the economic growth."

The country's economic growth is predicted to grow at 1.3 percent in 2019, according to a forecast by the World Bank last month.