The middle class is generally regarded as the most pro-democratic social stratum in society. Most countries with a history of successful democratisation have in general also reported a significant enlargement of the middle class. It is, consequently, argued that increases in the middle class may affect democratisation positively. Employing survey data from 1994 and 2000 this article attempts to identify and describe the South African middle class from 1994 onwards and also to describe the link between this social grouping and democratisation. The analysis indicated that the middle class has increased during the nineties and that the African population is being bisected into a middle-high and a lower class.