Indeed, it’s that moment of the year once again to unveil the leading Google Search terms in South Africa for 2025. As in previous years, the search engine’s top queries provide an intriguing glimpse into what has captivated the country throughout 2025 …
SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP 10 GOOGLE SEARCH TERMS FOR 2025
Leading the pack in South Africa’s top searches for 2025 is ‘Temu.’ Yes, the popular Chinese e-commerce platform has truly grabbed the attention of budget-conscious South African customers this year. It seems that there’s no such thing as negative publicity, as not even an inquiry from the National Consumer Commission (NCC) has diminished Temu’s online popularity (catch the pun?).
Following closely on the list is ‘General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.’ Interest spiked in July 2025 after his serious allegations of corruption against high-ranking political and police officials. His profile soared due to frequent media updates and the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry investigating claims of police corruption in the legal system.
WHAT ELSE DID SOUTH AFRICANS SEARCH FOR?

The remaining entries in South Africa’s top 10 Google Search terms for 2025 appear rather eclectic. Notably, people are showing interest in AI assistance and budget airline tickets:
- 3. Earth Day
- 4. Chat GPT free
- 5. Google Gemini
- 6. Unisa Registration
- 7. iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 8. Hangwani Maumela
- 9. FlySafair R11 tickets
- 10. Shaka iLembe
SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP HOW TO AND WHEN IS SEARCHES

Additionally, in the realm of specific inquiries, Google data has unveiled some engaging ‘How to’ and ‘when is’ searches that gained traction in South Africa. The most searched include:
- How to vote on Big Brother
- How to log into Hollywoodbets
- When is the G20 summit?
- When is the Budget speech?
Kabelo Makwane, Director for Google South Africa, mentioned that its annual search report continues to illustrate what resonates most with the South African public. It provides a thorough perspective on the nation’s values, interests, and curiosities during 2025.
What are your thoughts? Do these top 10 search terms for 2025 surprise you? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below …
