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Google reveals top local searches for 2020

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 10 Dec 2020

The results of SA’s top trending searches on Google are in, and show coronavirus (COVID-19) was top of everyone’s mind this year.

South Africa now has 828 598 confirmed COVID-19 cases, since the first case was reported in March, with the total number of deaths at 22 574 and total number of recoveries at 754 658.

On Wednesday night, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced SA has, according to its statistic models, entered a second wave of COVID-19 infections.Mkhize added that four provinces are driving up positive COVID-19 cases: the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

With each COVID-19 report, this year’s Google “Year in Search” reflects coronavirus, US elections update and ‘cigarettes ban South Africa’ among the most searched topics locally.

Pandemic notwithstanding, South Africans’ love affair with sport, celebrities and politics remained unchanged, Google says in a statement.

Google’s list of top 10 questions shows people were also interested in what 5G is, how to make hand sanitiser, and spots to buy beer during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Each year, the Internet search engine compiles the moments, people, topics, events and places that captured the world’s attention.

Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what South Africans have been searching for and asking Google this year.

Top 10 trending searches in SA 2020:

1. Coronavirus

2. US elections update

3. Sasol share price

4. Level three lockdown South Africa

5. Children’s Day

6. Hantavirus

7. Load-shedding

8. Cigarettes ban in South Africa

9. Teacher’s Day

10. Leap Day


Top trending questions:

1. How to apply for an unemployment grant?

2. Who won the election?

3. What time is the president on tonight?

4. What is coronavirus?

5. What is 5G?

6. Where does vanilla flavouring come from?

7. Why were cornflakes invented?

8. Where to buy beer during lockdown?

9. Why were chainsaws invented?

10. How to make hand sanitiser?

Top trending ‘near me’ searches

1. Restaurant

2. Grocery stores

3. Builders

4. Midas

5. Virgin Active

6. Hardware

7. Mexican food delivery

8. Massage spa

9. Game stores

10. Hiking

Top trending personalities – loss:

1. Kobe Bryant

2. Mshoza

3. Genius 'Ginimbi' Kadungure

4. Bob Mabena

5. Naya Rivera

6. George Floyd

7. Chadwick Boseman

8. Zinzi Mandela

9. Thandeka Mdeliswa

10. Mary Twala

Top trending South African personalities:

1. Katlego Maboe

2. Nikita Murray

3. Edwin Sodi

4. Lerato Kganyago

5. Menzi Ngubane

6. Jackie Phamotse

7. Tino Chinyani

8. Sophie Ndaba

9. Nomcebo Zikode

10. Monique Muller

Top trending political figures:

1. Joe Biden

2. Kim Jong Un

3. Kamala Harris

4. Boris Johnson

5. Angie Motshekga

6. Ace Magashule

7. Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams

8. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

9. Andile Lungisa

10. Bheki Cele

Top trending sports searches:

1. Premier League

2. England vs South Africa

3. PSL standings

4. IPL

5. Champions League

6. South Africa vs Australia

7. La Liga

8. Serie A

9. Europa League

10. Kaizer Chiefs vs Mamelodi Sundowns

Top trending recipes:

1. Pizza dough

2. Doughnut

3. Pineapple beer

4. Banana loaf

5. Pancakes

6. Magwinya recipe

7. Lemon meringue

8. Cinnabon

9. Naan bread

10. Pornstar martini

Top trending travel trip searches:

1. Mauritius

2. Durban

3. Thailand

4. Mozambique

5. Hawaii

6. Mars

7. Singapore

8. Bali

9. Jamaica

10. Zanzibar

To see more information from Google’s “Year in Search” across the globe, click here.

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