This is supposed to be India's century, but the dangers of complacency have been starkly underlined with inflation hitting a 13-year high.

East Africa's expanding economies unveiled spending plans geared to more growth, but will probably be dampened by food and fuel price inflation.

South Africa is fully capable of "turning the corner" and consolidating the gains made since 1994 despite the many challenges it faces, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday

It is ingrained in the national consciousness that the only way to deal with inflation is for Tito Mboweni to use increasingly large clubs to clobber the consumer with higher and higher interest rates.

With government workers asking for higher wage increases than the 10,5% announced on Wednesday, the spectre of strikes and second-round inflationary effects looms.