google search queries sassa petrol school

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Petrol price increase and SASSA dominate Google search queries this week

Petrol price increases and SASSA grants were amongst the most searched on Google South Africa this week. Here are the results from Google Trends.

google search queries sassa petrol school

Image via Adobe Stock

Thanks to Google Trend analysis, we can glean data on what South Africans have been asking Google this week. Fun fact: the search engine processes more than 40 000 search queries per second. This week, petrol price increases, the re-opening of schools and SASSA grants made headlines.

South Africa’s top Google searches

Petrol price increase – 20 000 Google searches

A petrol price increases of almost R2-per-litre was July, and needless to say, we had to ask Uncle Google about it. Back in June, Tom Head wrote:

“Despite a stabilising rand, ZAR isn’t performing well enough to offset the oil bounce-back. As the world emerges from hard lockdowns across hundreds of nations, demand has skyrocketed. South Africa is almost entirely reliant on oil exports, meaning that there are almost no domestic interventions that can help mitigate such wild rises. The petrol price in July will, essentially, be back to pre-pandemic levels.”

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Srd.sassa.gov.za status – 20 000 searches

SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) was forced to explain ‘bank verification’ issues after a number of R350 grant applicants caused concern. In response to the technical issues, SASSA said:

“What may be causing delays for some applicants, is the account failing bank verification. In such cases, the client is sent to the Post Office for cash payment. However, we do not advise that you go to the Post Office until you’ve received an SMS from SASSA confirming payment of the R350 grant.”

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SASSA R350 grant rejections petrol
Image via: NARDUS ENGELBRECHT / Gallo

Schools reopening – 10 000 searches

Back to school regulations changed and had everyone confused this week. We reported on 2 July 2020 that government’s ‘back to school’ plans temporarily landed on the scrapheap.

In addition, the EFF was fuming over the new regulations and parents were calling for a total schools shutdown. That came as no surprise; we’ve seen a surge in COVID-19 infections this week as well.

Schools grades angie motshekga when return google
Minister Angie Motshekga providing an update on the readiness for the reopening of schools, Sunrise View Secondary School in Rustenburg, North West Province. Photo: GCIS

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