Once a niche media format, now a mainstream habit
Digital audio and podcast advertising in Southern Africa is expected to top $355m this year, with Sixty-six percent (66%) of South Africans listening to an hour or more of podcasts each week.
Source: © Elice Moore Unsplash Podcasts have quietly moved from the margins of South African media to become a serious force
This is well above the global average of 41%, and millions are tuning in not just to global names but increasingly to distinctly local voices as well.
What was once a niche format has now become a mainstream habit, as podcasts have quietly moved from the margins of South African media to become a serious force.
A young crowd
South Africa had approximately 3.2 million podcast listeners in 2023, and the audience is projected to reach 4.8 million by 2027, driven by increasing mobile access.
The crowd is also young, with 61% of the participants aged between 18 and 34, who prefer consuming media on-demand.
Listenership is also expanding in isiZulu and isiXhosa, with shows like Uhambo Lolwimi and Ukhozi FM podcasts, helping make podcasting more reflective of the country’s linguistic diversity as well as expanding the reach for advertisers seeking relevance beyond English-dominant audiences.
Video-led formats are also gaining ground as YouTube and Spotify double as both discovery engines and listening platforms.
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Household names
Some shows are now household names.
Podcast and Chill with MacGhas notched up more than 395 million YouTube views, with episodes typically drawing over 200,000 viewers.
True Crime South Africa sits in the top 0.5% of podcasts globally, while Wisdom & Wellness with Mpoomy Ledwaba shares that ranking and has built audiences across Africa.
SMWX hosted by Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, has tapped into youth politics with strong engagement across Spotify and YouTube. International titles still rank highly.
Trevor Noah’s What Now? sits in the top 5% of global shows.
However, the balance of power is shifting toward homegrown creators.
A serious brand channel
“Podcasting has matured into a serious brand channel,” says Joe Hamman, director at Novus Group.
“Audiences give their time and trust to these hosts. That creates depth and credibility you cannot buy anywhere else.
But for brands, the challenge is knowing which voices matter, and that is where disciplined monitoring makes the difference.”
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Money is following the ears
More than half of listeners say they have acted on sponsor messages, whether visiting a profile, clicking through to a site, or making a purchase. Formats like creator-led reads and product placements with affiliate codes are proving particularly effective.
Hamman notes that cultural relevance is now as important as reach.
For marketers, podcasting represents both an opportunity and a measurement challenge.