Gordhan cuts S.African growth forecasts and calls for calm

By Stella Mapenzauswa and Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan slashed growth forecasts for the next three years and called on Wednesday for a period of political calm to help the country cope with looming spending cuts needed to avoid credit ratings downgrades. Gordhan also predicted wider budget deficits than previously expected until 2018/19, in a mid-term budget statement that sent the rand falling more than one percent against the dollar to a se