Summary

'Every South African has a stake in a peaceful and prosperous South Africa.' The SA Tribes programme is one of the most comprehensive research studies carried out in South Africa's history. Nearly 15,000 South Africans were interviewed during the period 1997-2001. From the poorest Xhosa-speakers in the Eastern Cape to wealthy Sandton executives, representatives from every strata of this country's diverse populace have been questioned. The resultant assessment is as thought-provoking as it is groundbreaking. UCT professor Steve Burgess has worked closely with learned colleagues from all over the world - and has enjoyed extensive support from leading research companies Markinor and Gallup - to put together this authoritative and insightful portrait of the Rainbow Nation as it heads towards its 10th anniversary. Although initially conceived as a tool for marketers seeking to understand the changing demographics of the new South Africa, SA Tribes has become required reading for anyone determined to understand the social and political geography of the country.SA Tribes contends that understanding and embracing our social identities, rather than dwelling on racial differences, is key to a successful society in South Africa. Thanks to the SA Tribes study we are now better placed than ever to know and understand our neighbours.