Load shedding and xenophobia topped the most trending search terms on Google by South Africans in 2015.

The search engine giant has published its annual Zeitgeist lists, a look at the past year “through the collect eyes of the world on the Web”. Zeitgeist means “the spirit of the times” in German.

“This year’s overall trending searches from South Africa show a mix of the serious and the silly, with load shedding, xenophobia, sport and various celebrities topping the overall search trends list,” the company said in a statement.

Murdered musician Flabba, actor Simba Mhere (who passed away in a car accident) and musician and producer Cassper Nyovest (who is trying to fill the MTN Dome) made the top of the trending South African list, Google said.

Load shedding and xenophobia topped the trending current affairs search list.

The full lists follow below.

South Africa trending overall searches
1. Loadshedding
2. August Alsina
3. Xenophobia
4. Cricket World Cup
5. Lamar Odom
6. Caitlyn Jenner
7. Adele Hello
8. Flabba
9. BMW i8
10. Jeremy Clarkson

Trending South Africans
1. Flabba
2. Simba Mhere
3. Cassper Nyovest
4. Pastor Zondo
5. Collins Chabane
6. Pulane Lenkoe
7. Senzo Meyiwa
8. Itumeleng Khune
9. Saba Mbixane
10. Jackie Selebi

How to…
1. How to cast
2. How to apologise
3. How to e-wallet
4. How to kick
5. How to smoke
6. How to treat
7. How to paint
8. How to prank
9. How to quickscope
10. How to bat

What is…
1. What is xenophobia
2. What is ebola
3. What is occupation
4. What is isis
5. What is constipation
6. What is shrub
7. What is rpl
8. What is meth
9. What is polyamory
10. What is submissive

Trending current affairs
1. Loadshedding
2. Xenophobia
3. Charlie Charlie
4. Charlie Hebdo
5. Ashley Madison
6. Collins Chabane
7. Boko Haram
8. Isis
9. Nepal Earthquake
10. SONA

Tech
1. Windows 10
2. Whatsapp Web
3. Samsung Galaxy S6
4. iPhones 6S
5. Fifa 16
6. Google Logo
7. iPhone 7
8. Fallout 4
9. Apple Watch
10. Mortal Kombat X

Trending political figures
1. Collins Chabane
2. Jackie Selebi
3. Mmusi Maimane
4. Baleka Mbete
5. King Zwelithini
6. Mtholephi Mthimkhulu
7. The Gupta Family
8. Charles Nqakula
9. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
10. Blade Nzimande