South Africans like games. That much is clear when you look at the results of Google’s Year in Search 2016 for the country. Smartphone game Pokémon GO came up trumps in a year in which businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump unexpectedly won the United States election. Next came Euro 2016 (the European soccer championships), and after that the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
Here’s a ranking:
1. Pokémon GO
South Africans took avidly to the smartphone game that, according to the Pokémon GO Death Tracker, has led to the death of 12 people globally, and 51 injuries. Most injuries and deaths were caused by people moving about while glued to their phones, and not watching where they were going. The “augmented reality” game, released in July 2016, tracks a player’s whereabouts via their phone’s GPS (not usually a good idea for security reasons) to locate, capture, battle and train imaginary creatures that appear on their phone screens as though they were in the same “real-world” location as the player.
2. Euro 2016
It’s no secret that South Africa is soccer mad, but those who had any doubt can give that up. South Africans searched Euro 2016 – the European soccer championships – like crazy. Portugal won on 10 July, beating France 1-0 on home ground at the Stade de France, just north of Paris in St Denis.
3. Olympic Games Rio 2016
South African athletes earned a record 10 medals at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August. The country has reached this tally only twice before, in 1920 (Antwerp, Belgium) and 1952 (Helsinki, Finland), and this was the first time an all-races national team has excelled. Team SA won two gold medals (Caster Semenya, women’s 800m; Wayde van Niekerk, men’s 400m), six silvers and two bronzes.
4. Donald Trump
Some have described Trump’s winning the US elections as one of the two most visibly startling global events of 2016, the other being the British public voting out of the European Union. On 19 December the US Electoral College confirmed this vote, and so his presidency. This is the second time in recent history that the Democratic Party’s candidate has won the popular vote and lost the electoral college vote, the other time being when Al Gore lost to George Bush in 2000.
5. Election results
While not nearly as astounding as the result of the US elections, the results of South Africa's local government elections on 3 August changed the country’s political landscape. The ruling African National Congress lost key metropolitan areas – Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) – to the Democratic Alliance or opposition coalitions.
6. Mandoza
The whole country mourned when kwaito star Mandoza, whose Nkalakatha set toes of all South Africans tapping, died on 18 September. He was 38 and suffering from pharyngeal cancer.
7. IEC
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) presided over South Africa’s most hotly contested post-democracy elections in August.
8. Mall of Africa
South Africans love malls, and this year brought them the Mall of Africa, in Midrand, between Johannesburg and Tshwane. The mall opened with much fanfare and the claim that its 131 000m2 makes it the country’s largest mall. It is not – that accolade goes to Durban’s Gateway Mall, which has a whopping 220 000m2 of retail space. (The Mall of Africa is the largest mall in South Africa built all in one go.)
9. Caster Semenya
Athlete Caster Semenya has faced enormous controversy since she blasted through national records at the 2009 African Junior Championships, winning the 800m and the 1 500m races and raising questions about her gender. This year she won her first Olympic gold, winning the 800m race at the Rio Olympics and great acclaim in her home country.
.@Caster800m winning gold at @Rio2016 in a record national time of 1:55.28 makes her one of our #HistoryMakers. RT if she made you proud! pic.twitter.com/yNghXznu2z
— Clere Active (@ClereActive) November 10, 2016
10. US elections
It’s not surprising that searches on Donald Trump trumped searches for US elections 2016. The businessman and reality television star dominated headlines almost everywhere with his outrageous statements and blathering bluster.
Here are some other top trending searches from the Google Year in Search 2016:
Top trending South African athletes
1. Caster Semenya
2. South African national cricket team
3. Sundowns FC
4. Hashim Amla
5. Kagiso Rabada
6. Mondli Cele
7. Bongani Zungu
8. Zamalek
9. Faf du Plessis
10. Wayde van Niekerk
Top trending South African politicians and prominent figures
1. Jacob Zuma
2. Public Protector
3. Gupta family
4. Thoko Didiza
5. Mcebo Dlamini
6. Pravin Gordhan
7. Sipho Pityana
8. Brian Molefe
9. Thuli Madonsela
10. Khwezi
Top trending South African celebrities
1. Mandoza
2. Gugu Zulu
3. Emtee
4. Babes Wodumo
5. Gareth Cliff
6. Nasty C
7. Rapulana Seiphemo
8. Nyembezi Kunene
9. Ayanda Mabulu
10. Duke Soul
Top trending South African TV shows
1. Cash Gang
2. Uzalo
3. Muvhango
4. Isibaya
5. Idols SA
6. Beintehaa
7. Bigg Boss 9
8. Skeem Saam
9. The Voice South Africa
10. Antara Nur Dan Dia