According to a 2021 survey, South Africans in living standard measure (LSM) bracket 3-6 used the internet more than individuals within higher brackets. For instance, almost 63 percent of internet users who accessed the internet for less than five hours were in LSM 3-6.
The LSM tool divides the population into 10 groups, 10 being the highest living standard level and one being the lowest. The tool categorizes people according to their living standards with criteria such as ownership of major appliances. Consequently, it is used as an instrument to identify target markets for the distribution of consumer goods in a given country.
Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure
January 18 to May 14 and July 13 to September 31, 2021
Number of respondents
24,666 respondents
Age group
15 years and older
Special properties
The data was collected in two waves
Supplementary notes
Data on hours spent on the internet in the past 7 days.
Living Standard Measure (LSM) is a way of segmenting people into different groups based on social and living standards, in line with their belongings. The higher the LSM, the higher the socioeconomic status.
TGI/AskAfrika, annually interviews 24,666 respondents aged 15+ living in urban areas with 8,000 or more inhabitants, using a stratified random probability sample. The data is weighted to the South African national statistics service, "Statistics South Africa's" population estimates, which allow for an accurate representation of 27.76 million South Africans.
To ensure a nationally representative sample, the survey is based on enumerated area (EA) sampling.
Missing percentage points to 100 percent are probably due to rounding.
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Ornico, & World Wide Worx. (June 30, 2022). Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 04, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/
Ornico, und World Wide Worx. "Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure." Chart. June 30, 2022. Statista. Accessed January 04, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/
Ornico, World Wide Worx. (2022). Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 04, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/
Ornico, and World Wide Worx. "Hours Spent Using The Internet in South Africa in 2021, by Living Standard Measure." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Jun 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/
Ornico & World Wide Worx, Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/ (last visited January 04, 2025)
Hours spent using the internet in South Africa in 2021, by living standard measure [Graph], Ornico, & World Wide Worx, June 30, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341331/hours-spent-using-internet-in-south-africa-by-lsm/
