Internet4.03.2018
What we know about Internet users in South Africa
Effective Measure has released its February 2018 Internet demographics statistics for South Africa.
Effective Measure is the official traffic measurement partner of the IAB South Africa, and provides accurate traffic and demographics statistics for South Africa’s top websites.
In February, Effective Measure performed 285,000 demographics surveys on South African Internet users.
The survey data shows there is an almost even male and female split when looking at the gender of Internet users in South Africa.
It also shows that most local Internet users are below the age of 35, and mainly reside in cities and large towns.
The table below provides an overview of the results of the Effective Measure February 2017 demographics survey.
| South Africa’s Internet Population | |
| Gender | Percentage |
| Male | 50.94% |
| Female | 49.06% |
| Age | Percentage |
| 15-19 | 10.06% |
| 20-24 | 22.77% |
| 25-34 | 32.94% |
| 35-44 | 16.89% |
| 45-49 | 6.37% |
| 50-54 | 3.06% |
| 55-64 | 4.73% |
| 65+ | 3.18% |
| Size of the community you live in | Percentage |
| Metro (major city 250,000+) | 28.01% |
| City/large Town (40,000 – 249,999) | 40.23% |
| Small town villages (500 – 39,999) | 24.53% |
| Settlement/Rural (under 500) | 7.24% |
| Highest level of education | Percentage |
| No school or some primary | 2.22% |
| Some high school | 14.98% |
| Matric | 40.58% |
| Technikon diploma / Artisan certificate | 23.27% |
| University degree | 18.96% |
| Current work status | Percentage |
| Student / scholar | 10.68% |
| Work full time / self employed | 46.68% |
| Work part time | 10.31% |
| Retired | 3.92% |
| Not working | 11.59% |
| Unemployed | 16.83% |
| Province you reside in | Percentage |
| Eastern Cape | 7.53% |
| Free State | 3.97% |
| Gauteng | 38.73% |
| KZN | 16.68% |
| Limpopo | 7.88% |
| Mpumalanga | 6.42% |
| North West | 4.27% |
| Northern Cape | 1.57% |
| Western Cape | 12.95% |
| Metro you live in | Percentage |
| Cape Town | 12.74% |
| Greater Johannesburg | 16.82% |
| East Rand | 10.05% |
| West Rand | 2.91% |
| Soweto | 4.77% |
| Vaal | 1.36% |
| Pretoria | 14.43% |
| Port Elizabeth/Uitenhage | 4.90% |
| East London | 2.21% |
| Durban | 10.65% |
| Pietermaritzburg | 1.05% |
| Bloemfontein | 2.70% |
| Kimberley | 0.22% |
| eMalahleni/Witbank | 1.10% |
| Other | 14.09% |
| Device you are accessing the Internet from | Percentage |
| Desktop personal computer | 9.37% |
| Work or personal laptop | 16.47% |
| Mobile phone | 62.77% |
| Tablet | 7.46% |
| Other device | 1.94% |
| Do not know | 1.98% |
| Connection are you accessing the Internet from | Percentage |
| Dial-up | 4.97% |
| ADSL | 36.58% |
| Mobile data | 26.78% |
| Fibre | 12.81% |
| Do not know | 18.87% |
| What do you regularly use the Internet for? | Percentage |
| Search | 81.21% |
| 68.15% | |
| Social networking | 53.61% |
| Instant messaging | 47.90% |
| Banking | 41.44% |
| Check the weather | 36.86% |
| Download apps | 34.16% |
| Read newspaper or magazine online | 30.07% |
| Read news online | 28.85% |
| Music downloads | 28.49% |
| Use maps | 28.07% |
| Access listing sites | 27.41% |
| Travel bookings | 22.32% |
| Access classified advertising websites | 22.11% |
| Stream Videos online | 19.09% |
| Entertainment bookings | 18.44% |
| Purchase goods or services | 18.20% |
| Make calls on the Internet | 17.74% |
| Play games | 17.60% |
| Stream TV programmes online | 12.93% |
| Other Internet activities not mentioned previously | 11.77% |
| Listen to radio | 11.40% |
| Subscribe to receive content or services | 9.82% |
| Access auction websites | 9.70% |
| Download a podcast | 6.20% |
| Share trading | 4.20% |
| Dating | 3.94% |
| Gambling | 2.23% |
Now read: The websites which rule South Africa’s Internet
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