Google has recorded twice as many searches for South African actress and television star Boity (Boitumelo) Thulo -- who has posed naked in a photo shoot -- than the country’s state of the nation address.

Social media on Monday was a flurry with tweets regarding the image, which depicts Thulo wearing only a white towel around her head and her rear-end on full display.

The image forms part of Marie Claire magazine’s annual ‘Naked Issue’, and the magazine has subsequently gained exceptional exposure online.

On Tuesday, ‘Marie Claire’ was trending on Twitter alongside top-ranking trend ‘#BoityReaction’.

But South Africans are also turning to Google in record numbers to do ‘research’ on the topic.

According to Google Trends for South Africa, the search term ‘Boity’ notched up 20,000 searches on Monday: the highest in the country for the day.

This figure is double that of searches for South Africa’s much-anticipated state of the nation address in parliament last week, according to the Google Trends figures. The state of the nation address only managed 10,000 searches on Google.

In particular; though, jokesters have taken to social media to poke fun at the #Boity image.

“I hear that #Boity's ass is giving a SONA (state of the nation address) this week and JZ (President Jacob Zuma) has booked the front row,” said @Jozee25 on Twitter.

Other spoof Boity images have surfaced, one of which depicts a heaven-like scene around the naked television star, while another doctored image shows men ogling at the actress from an outside window.

Furthermore, images of naked men climbing a ladder in a similar setting have also emerged, sparking reaction on Twitter.

However, while the Boity image has spurred on ‘admiration’ and fun online, others have taken to criticising Thulo.

“#Boity should have consulted her parents and her boyfriend before the shoot, I don't think they were aware of her nakedness. Disgrace beauty,” tweeted @Njahbu.

Nevertheless, the Marie Claire photo shoot has been done for a good cause.

Thulo, along with other South African celebrities, took part in the issue to support ‘The Lunchbox Fund’, a non-profit organisation providing orphaned or disadvantaged schoolchildren in disadvantaged areas with a daily meal.