Abstract:
This article unearths the salient factors that trap the aspiring middle class in their progression
towards a stable middle class in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. The
study utilises a quantitative case study design, drawing on a sample of 449 aspirants
and 578 middle-class heads of households from the 2021 Gauteng City-Region
Observatory Quality of Life Survey. A binary logistic regression model was used to
analyse these salient factors (key determinants) and their impact on the social mobility
of the aspirant middle class. Findings reveal a significant relationship between
social mobility and education, racial inequality, asset ownership, access to economic
opportunities and proximity to amenities. We suggest local government policies that
positively influence the conditions of these determinants for sustained mobility of
the aspirant middle class over time.
