The new black middle class in South Africa

Social stratification and inequality in South Africa

“…The political system in South Africa changed immediately. The African National Congress victory allowed Africans to move into positions of political power, and over time earn jobs throughout the bureaucracy (Southall, 2004, 2016). Legal changes were immediate under the new regime, which held out the promise of change in inequality as well.…”

“…While the change for the African population might not seem large, since they're the demographic majority this shift explains the post‐apartheid rise in the overall Gini coefficient (Bundy, 2018; Hoogeveen & Özler, 2006). The primary change driving this is the growing number of Africans in the middle class and elite (Allanson & Atkins, 2005; Crankshaw, 2012; Seekings, 2004; Seekings and Nattrass, 2005; Southall, 2016; Terreblanche, 2002). Even though they remain underrepresented in these class positions, the rise in their proportion increases inequality within this population group (Liebbrandt et al., 2010; Zizzamia et al., 2016).…”

“…To a certain extent this is the result of educational or residence differences, both of which are related to apartheid era inequalities, as well as the occupational distributions that existed in 1994 (Gradin, 2019; Moll, 2000; Seekings, 2008; Seekings and Nattrass, 2005). For those moving into new jobs since then middle‐class jobs have become somewhat more diverse, yet lower class jobs have predominantly been filled by African workers (Crankshaw, 2012; Southall, 2016). Finally, even if job and educational levels are similar, White workers tend to have higher income returns to education than African and Coloured workers (Allanson & Atkins, 2005; Salisbury, 2016).…”

“…There are some changes, primarily the increased dispersion of inequality within population groups. Some Africans were poised to do well, once liberated by racial restrictions, due to higher levels of education, being part of the new civil service, or already being in occupations where their wages had been repressed by now illegal policies (Crankshaw, 1997; Southall, 2016; Treiman et al., 1996). Over time, this dispersion is likely to increase, as educational opportunity opens up for more non‐White South Africans, and they are able to obtain better‐paying positions.…”