About the Book
The rise of the black middle class is one of the most striking developments in post-apartheid South Africa. Yet while this new class has been a major actor in the reshaping of the country, public attention, especially in the media, has largely focused upon the image of �black diamonds�- black consumers � and �tenderpreneurs� who use their political connections to obtain lucrative contracts.
This book provides a much-needed corrective that considers the black middle class as a key actor in the development of South African society. It recounts the history of the class prior to 1994, examines its size, shape and structure, explores the role of the ANC and education in promoting black upward social mobility, and reviews the challenges faced by the black middle class at work and in society more generally. It concludes with an analysis of the ambigous role played by the black middle class in the shaping of a democratic society.
About the Author
Roger Southall is an Professor Emeritus in Sociology, at the University of the Witwatersrand. His previous books include South Africa�s Transkei: The Political Economy of an �Independent� Bantustan (1983), Imperialism or Solidarity? International Labour and South African Trade Unions (1995), An African Peace Process: Mandela, South Africa and Burundi (with Kristina Bentley, 2005) and Liberation Movements in Power: Party and State in Southern Africa (2013).
