In the ever-evolving world of digital trends, keeping tabs on the latest statistics can be a daunting task. If you're seeking to understand how the digital landscape in South Africa has transformed in 2023, you've landed on the right page. Our deep-dive into the latest data, insights, and trends will equip you with all the essential information about the state of digital technology usage in South Africa this year.



For additional context, you can compare this year's statistics with previous years by visiting our collection of comprehensive reports on South Africa. The complete 2023 Digital Report for South Africa is also available for a more in-depth look. But for now, let's kick things off with a glance at the key digital highlights for South Africa this year.

South Africa's Digital State in 2023

The digital adoption and usage trends in South Africa for 2023 are headlined by:

• A thriving digital population, with 43.48 million internet users, equating to a substantial internet penetration of 72.3%.
• A buzzing social media scene, with 25.80 million social media enthusiasts, covering 42.9% of the total population.
• A remarkable 112.7 million active mobile connections, representing 187.4% of the total population.

These statistics provide an intriguing snapshot of the South African digital landscape, but to truly understand its trajectory, we need to delve deeper.

An Overview of South Africa's Population in 2023

In January 2023, the population of South Africa stood at 60.14 million, witnessing a growth of 494,000 (0.8%) from the previous year. The country was home to slightly more women (51.3%) than men (48.7%). The majority (68.6%) resided in urban areas, while the remaining 31.4% were rural dwellers.

When it comes to age distribution, the median age of South Africa's population was 27.5. The population was majorly spread across ages 5-34.

The Proliferation of Internet Usage in South Africa in 2023

In January 2023, South Africa was home to 43.48 million internet users, translating to a 72.3% internet penetration rate. A year-on-year increase of 357,000 (+0.8%) was observed from 2022. However, this also indicates that 27.7% of the population remained offline at the beginning of the year, pointing to potential areas for growth.

Due to the intricacies involved in data collection and analysis, the actual adoption and growth might be higher than these figures. Follow our Global Statshot reports for the most recent insights into global internet adoption and usage trends.

For a global perspective, compare South Africa's digital state with other countries by exploring our flagship Digital 2023 Global Overview Report.

Internet Connection Speeds in South Africa in 2023

In 2023, the median mobile internet connection speed via cellular networks in South Africa was 36.70 Mbps, while the median fixed internet connection speed was 40.12 Mbps, revealing a year-on-year increase of 20.2% and 34.9%, respectively.

The Social Media Scene in South Africa in 2023

In January 2023, South Africa boasted 25.80 million social media users. These numbers may differ from previous years due to revisions in the source data. Our analysis indicates no discernible drop in overall social media usage, with continual growth seen in almost all countries.

Notably, 59.3% of South Africa's total internet users were on at least one social media platform, with a fairly balanced gender ratio of 51.1% female users to 48.9% male users.

Facebook in South Africa in 2023

Meta’s advertising resources show that Facebook boasted 22.15 million users in South Africa at the start of 2023. However, this figure had fallen by 2.1 million (a drop of 8.5%) between 2022 and 2023, according to data from Meta’s own tools. The data also showed a decline of 1.8 million users (-7.5%) from October 2022 to January 2023.

However, it is crucial to remember that these figures represent potential ad reach, not monthly active users. Still, Facebook's ad reach is a crucial metric for marketers, offering insights into potential audience size and demographics. Despite these drops, 48.9% of the eligible audience in South Africa were on Facebook, and the platform reached 50.9% of all internet users.

YouTube in South Africa in 2023

Google's advertising resources revealed that YouTube had 25.80 million users in South Africa in early 2023, reaching 59.3% of all internet users. YouTube’s potential ad reach increased by 500,000 users (+2.0%) between the start of 2022 and early 2023, showing a positive growth trend for the video-sharing platform in South Africa.

Instagram in South Africa in 2023

Instagram, another Meta product, had 5.65 million users in South Africa at the beginning of 2023. The photo-sharing app reached 13.0% of all internet users. However, Instagram's potential ad reach decreased by 550,000 users (-8.9%) between 2022 and 2023, suggesting a shrinking user base on this platform.

TikTok in South Africa in 2023

TikTok, owned by ByteDance, had a significant presence with 11.83 million users aged 18 and above. It demonstrated considerable growth, with its potential ad reach increasing by a substantial 5.4 million users (+83.6%) between the start of 2022 and early 2023. This indicates that TikTok is rapidly gaining popularity among the South African audience.

Facebook Messenger in South Africa in 2023

Facebook Messenger had a reach of 5.15 million users in South Africa at the start of the year. However, there was a decrease in potential ad reach by 50,000 users (-1.0%) between 2022 and 2023. Despite this slight decline, Messenger continued to engage 11.4% of its "eligible" audience in 2023.

LinkedIn and Professional Networking in South Africa in 2023

LinkedIn, the networking platform for professionals, reported 11.00 million "members" in South Africa in early 2023. LinkedIn calculates its advertising reach based on total registered members, different from other social media platforms that generally use monthly active users as a benchmark. This means that LinkedIn's figures may not be directly comparable with those from other platforms.

At the start of 2023, LinkedIn's audience in South Africa was equivalent to 18.3 percent of the total population. As the platform restricts usage to people aged 18 and above, 27.5 percent of the "eligible" audience in South Africa were on LinkedIn in 2023. Moreover, LinkedIn's ad reach in South Africa was equivalent to 25.3 percent of the local internet user base at the start of the year.

In terms of gender distribution, 48.1 percent of LinkedIn’s ad audience in South Africa was female, and 51.9 percent was male. LinkedIn's potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 1.5 million (+15.8 percent) between 2022 and 2023, with a quarterly increase of 1.0 million (+10.0 percent) between October 2022 and January 2023.

Snapchat in South Africa in 2023

Snapchat, the multimedia messaging app, had 5.85 million users in South Africa in early 2023. This figure indicates that Snapchat’s ad reach in South Africa was equivalent to 9.7 percent of the total population. Restricted to users aged 13 and above, Snapchat captured 12.9 percent of the "eligible" audience in South Africa in 2023, and 13.5 percent of the local internet user base.

In terms of gender distribution, 78.7 percent of Snapchat’s ad audience in South Africa was female, and 19.5 percent was male. However, Snapchat's potential ad reach decreased by 400 thousand (-6.4 percent) at the start of 2022 but then increased by 1.2 million (+24.5 percent) between October 2022 and January 2023.

Twitter in South Africa in 2023

Twitter, the popular microblogging platform, had 3.65 million users in South Africa in early 2023. This implies that Twitter’s ad reach in South Africa was equivalent to 6.1 percent of the total population. The platform captured 8.1 percent of the "eligible" audience and 8.4 percent of the local internet user base.

In terms of gender, 34.7 percent of Twitter’s ad audience in South Africa was female, and 65.3 percent was male. Twitter’s potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 800 thousand (+28.1 percent) between the start of 2022 and early 2023, with a further increase of 300 thousand (+9.0 percent) between October 2022 and January 2023. It's worth noting that Twitter infers its users' gender, and this method may not always be reliable, especially in countries where English is not the dominant language.

Mobile Connections in South Africa in 2023

According to GSMA Intelligence, South Africa had 112.7 million cellular mobile connections at the start of 2023. These connections were equivalent to 187.4 percent of the total population in January 2023, reflecting the fact that many people have more than one mobile connection. The number of mobile connections in South Africa increased by 4.0 million (+3.7 percent) between 2022 and 2023.

To sum up, the dynamics of social media usage in South Africa in 2023 shows shifts in platform preferences, gender distribution, and audience reach. These fluctuations provide valuable insights for businesses, marketers, and researchers alike.The year 2023 thus painted a fascinating picture of the social media landscape in South Africa, marked by shifting user bases across platforms. Each social media platform exhibited unique dynamics in terms of user growth, gender distribution, and audience reach. As such, marketers and advertisers need to carefully analyze these trends and demographics to formulate successful strategies for different platforms.

DataReportal (Simon Kemp). (2023, February 13). Digital 2023: South Africa. Retrieved from https://datareportal.com/