South Africa, March 18 -- Beyond the email and banking essentials, 71% of South Africans use the internet for general browsing, 70% for messaging and 69% for social networking. The same proportion - 69% - use it to buy or browse goods online. These are not occasional behaviours, they represent the basic rhythm of a connected life.

The internet's role as an information source is equally dominant. A strong 77% agree that the internet is their main source of information, meaning most South Africans turn to search engines, websites and social media before television, radio or print. The web is where questions get answered and decisions get shaped.

More than two-thirds of the population see connectivity as fundamental, not optional. The inte...