The South African Internet user population passed the 20-million mark for the first time last year, reaching 21 million, and is expected to grow to at least 22.5 million in 2017.<\/p>\n
This is according to the Internet Access in South Africa 2017 study, published by World Wide Worx in conjunction with Dark Fibre Africa (DFA).<\/p>\n
Based on Stats SA\u2019s estimate that the South African population reached 55.9 million people in June 2016, this means that the country will reach the 40% Internet penetration mark this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cFinally reaching the point where we can say every second adult South African is connected to the Internet is a major landmark, because Internet access is becoming synonymous with economic access,\u201d said Reshaad Sha, chief strategy officer and executive director of DFA.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor this reason, it is critical that the country prioritise the roll-out of infrastructure in underserved areas, especially outside the major metropolitan areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report found that the digital divide remains a stark reality in South Africa, despite more than half of all adults in the country now having Internet access.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a divide that stretches across almost every imaginable sector of society, from geography and location to income and education,\u201d said Sha.<\/p>\n
The research pointed to a clear divide in income disparity. Among adult South Africans earning more than R30,000 a month, Internet penetration is at 82.4%, on a par with overall penetration in many industrialised countries.<\/p>\n
However, penetration declines rapidly as income declines, falling to 61.3% for those earning between R14,000 and R18,000, 42% for those earning between R3,000 and R6,000, and below 30% for those earning below R2,500 a month, the executive summary said.<\/p>\n
The report noted that the Western Cape has by some margin the highest Internet penetration of all provinces, at 75%, followed by Gauteng at 55%.<\/p>\n