Black Middle Class in South Africa (“Black Diamonds”)

The transition from apartheid to democracy has been associated with the changing class structure of South Africa and, in particular, the growth of the black middle class. The upward mobility of particular sets of “native,” “bantu,” “African,” or “black” people (as they were variously named) was an economic and social fact since colonization. However, twentieth-century politics was ultimately defined by the promotion of “European” or “white” upward mobility ahead of other racial groups. Since this political project ended in 1994, the growth of the black middle class is seen as positive, not only because it undoes these social hierarchies but also because it brings into being a virtuous set of people who can contribute to the development of the country. Yet the transgressive nature of this group also results in its place in society being questioned.