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At 17:00 local time, the JSE all-share index was down 1.10% to 33,892.58 points, with the resource counters sliding 1.99%; the gold index dipped 0.27% and platinum shares lost 1.44%.

Industrials edged down 0.42%, financials slid 1.13%, and banks tumbled 1.61%.

The rand weakened to 7.74 to the dollar from 7.58 at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold dipped to US$1,712.79 a troy ounce from at US$1,749.30/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum eased to US$1,641/oz, from US$1,669/oz before.

"Foreigners continue to sell shares and bonds, which is reflected in the rand/dollar weakness. Greece's debt trouble remains the catalyst," said Graham Ledbitter, portfolio manager at BoE Private Clients Services.

Drikus Combrinck, portfolio manager at PSG Konsult, said the rand/dollar weakness related to Saturday's expected announcement.

SA markets are abuzz with expectations after the Reserve Bank on Friday afternoon scheduled a press conference to make an announcement of "national importance".

The presidency, the Ministry of Finance and the South African Reserve Bank will make the announcement jointly at the SARB headquarters in Pretoria at 15:00 on Saturday.

President Jacob Zuma, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Governor of the SARB, Gill Marcus will all be in attendance.

US stocks fell as concerns over whether Greece will be able to receive bailout funds prompted a pullback following the recent string of gains, Dow Jones Newswires reports.

European markets were also broadly lower. Eurozone finance ministers didn't approve a second bailout that Greece needs to stay afloat, saying Greece's parliament must first approve the new austerity measures before they will sign off on the loan deal.

On the JSE, Anglo American (AGL) declined R10.41 or 3.03% to R332.60, BHP Billiton (BIL) lost R5.62 or 2.20% to R249.88, Sasol (SOL) dipped R4.60 or 1.14% to R398.30.

In gold stocks, AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) shed R3.34 to R348.64, but Gold Fields (GFI) was up 20 cents to R128.19 and Harmony (HAR) gained 62 cents to R100.02.

Anglo American Platinum (AMS) shed R9.50 or 1.73% to R540.50, Impala Platinum (IMP) lost R2.51 or 1.49% to R165.44 and Lonmin (LON) was down R1.77 or 1.40% to R124.73.

Among other miners, ArcelorMittal SA (ACL) lost R1.75 or 2.65% to R64.25, Exxaro Resources (EXX) shed R4.35 or 2.11% to R201.85 and African Rainbow Minerals (ARI) slid R6.99 or 3.59% to R187.95.

In industrials, British American Tobacco (BTI) rallied R10.25 or 2.75% to R382.50, but Bidvest (BVT) slipped R1.78 or 1.02% to R172.22.

Nedbank (NED) slid R3.09 or 1.93% to R157.40 and Abil (ABL) lost 80 cents or 2.09% to R37.50.