EXHIBIT 99.1


                         THE SOUTH FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

                     Certificate of Chief Executive Officer

This Certificate is provided pursuant to Section 906 of The  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act
of 2002.

The  undersigned is the chief executive  officer of The South  Financial  Group,
Inc., a South Carolina corporation  headquartered in Greenville,  South Carolina
("TSFG").

This  Certificate  is provided with respect to TSFG's  Quarterly  Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 (the "Periodic Report").

The  undersigned  hereby  certifies that to his knowledge,  the Periodic  Report
fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) and that information contained in
the Periodic Report fairly  presents,  in all material  respects,  the financial
condition  and  results of  operations  of TSFG at the dates and for the periods
indicated therein.

This Certificate is provided as of November 14, 2002.


                                    /s/ Mack I. Whittle, Jr.
                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Mack I. Whittle, Jr.
                                    Chief Executive Officer
                                    The South Financial Group, Inc.



                         THE SOUTH FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

                   Certificate of Principal Financial Officer

This Certificate is provided pursuant to Section 906 of The  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act
of 2002.

The undersigned is the principal financial officer of The South Financial Group,
Inc., a South Carolina corporation  headquartered in Greenville,  South Carolina
("TSFG").

This  Certificate  is provided with respect to TSFG's  Quarterly  Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 (the "Periodic Report").

The  undersigned  hereby  certifies that to his knowledge,  the Periodic  Report
fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) and that information contained in
the Periodic Report fairly  presents,  in all material  respects,  the financial
condition  and  results of  operations  of TSFG at the dates and for the periods
indicated therein.

This Certificate is provided as of November 14, 2002.


                                      /s/ William S. Hummers III
                                      ----------------------------------
                                      William S. Hummers III
                                      Principal Financial Officer
                                      The South Financial Group, Inc.