Johannesburg - The Super 14, DJ Sbu, Facebook as well as Nelson Mandela were among the most searched-for topics on Google in South Africa during 2009.
The internet giant has announced its search trends for the year, including country-specific results, providing the world's most searched-for terms.
The recession featured prominently in 2009, as is to be expected. But South Africans seem to have been a bit clueless about what was going on, with "What is recession?" the most searched-for relative term in the country.
Of interest would be the list of the most searched-for celebrities. DJ Sbu rules the roost, followed by socialite Khanyi Mbau and movie star Charlize Theron.
Oscar Pistorius is also on the list, along with Gareth Cliff and Joost van der Westhuizen.
The list of SA's most searched-for politicians is perhaps more predictable, featuring Nelson Mandela as number one and Jacob Zuma in the second spot. Julius Malema is third.
Facebook is the most popular social network and Absa internet banking tops financial services. In the sports category the Super 14 was the most searched-for item in SA, followed closely by the Indian Premier League staged in South Africa. The Confederations Cup was fourth in the rankings, following the third-placed Cape Argus cycle race.
Google compiles its search results as part of its "Zeitgeist" project - "the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time".
For more Zeitgeist results, check out www.google.com/zeitgeist2009.
- Fin24.com