A snapshot of South Africa’s digital landscape [Infographic]

Here at Burn Media we are big on understanding ecosystems. If you are new to the digital space, it’s easy to get lost in the massive number of companies out there. Tech and digital is a big deal these days and we understand this.

There are power house companies in this digital/tech ecosystem. Companies that compete and rival international counterparts. Take Naspers; it is a formidable internet company with overseas investments and stakes in companies such as Facebook through its Mail.ru investment. Naspers’ aggressive investments have led it to become an US$18-billion emerging market internet superpower.

South Africa’s digital landscape has gained international recognition at award shows such as the Cannes Lions and the Webbys.

Things are so hot right now in South Africa’s digital scene that international companies are also getting a piece of the action through acquisitions and mergers — WPP, we are looking at you.

We consulted widely, and have put together a snapshot of South Africa’s digital landscape. This infographic looks especially at companies whose core focus is digital or have a key tech component: it’s not a perfect representation but we have tried to include all key players. Like any snapshot, we have done our best to represent key players in this space but if there is a company you feel we have missed please feel free to email the editor and we will do our best evolve it.

We looked at five key areas that play a crucial role when it comes to digital and tech in South Africa: technology, marketing, networks/ecommerce and media. The online space is getting bigger in South Africa, with around R3.3-billion spent by South Africans shopping online in 2012. This number is expected to grow 25% to R4.4-billion this year according to a Techcentral report.

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