SA’s Big Winner Announced: Share Your Thoughts

Key Takeaways

• Barrydale, a small town in the Western Cape, has been crowned the Daily Maverick Small Town of the Year with a score of 94%.
• The selection process involved 2,069 reader nominations and a judging criteria that prioritized the "M-Factor" or "Maverick Gees" (spirit) of each town.
• The top five small towns in each province were evaluated across seven categories: Cleanliness, Municipality, Community, Safety, Nature, Family, and Connectivity.
• The runners-up included White River (Mpumalanga), Jeffreys Bay (Eastern Cape), Cullinan (Gauteng), Clarens (Free State), Bloemhof (North West), Howick (KwaZulu-Natal), Hoedspruit (Limpopo), and Richmond (Northern Cape).
• A live debate will be held on Daily Maverick Connect to discuss the small town winners and hear feedback from readers.

Introduction to Barrydale
Barrydale, a small town in the Western Cape, was recently crowned the Daily Maverick Small Town of the Year. After rigorous competition between small towns from across South Africa, Barrydale won with a whopping high score of 94%. Biénne Huisman describes the town as “an oasis in the desert: think jacaranda-lined streets, bougainvillea-draped walls, lavender fields and succulents, etched against a rolling expanse of sky and mountain views”. The town’s unique energy and spirit, referred to as the "M-Factor" or "Maverick Gees", were key factors in its selection as the top small town.

The Selection Process
The selection process began with 2,069 Daily Maverick reader nominations for what they believed is the best small town to live in in South Africa. From there, nine writers – one per province – researched and whittled down the list of small towns from the top five per province to the one that scored the highest. The judging criteria assessed functional elements but prioritized the "M-Factor" or "Maverick Gees" (spirit) – that unique energy defining a town’s soul. Towns were ultimately evaluated across seven distinct categories: Cleanliness, Municipality, Community, Safety, Nature, Family, and Connectivity. Each writer visited their provincial winner to re-score them based on first-hand experience, and the nine writers then met to compare notes, ultimately crowning Barrydale as the best Maverick Small Town to live in.

The Runners-Up
While Barrydale is without a doubt deserving of being this year’s winner, each of the provincial winners were special in their own right, and it was amazing to see the diversity between entries. White River (Mpumalanga), which Zani Barrish describes as being “defined by lush vegetation, a vibrant and close-knit community and enviable Lowveld weather”, missed the top spot marginally with a score of 93%. Coming in third was Jeffreys Bay (Eastern Cape), with a score of 90.3%. Angela Daniels describes the great pride locals have in the town, ending her article with a poignant analysis: “I think part of Jeffreys Bay’s secret is that it doesn’t pretend to be perfect. It just tries to be better.” The other runners-up included Cullinan (Gauteng), Clarens (Free State), Bloemhof (North West), Howick (KwaZulu-Natal), Hoedspruit (Limpopo), and Richmond (Northern Cape), each with its own unique charm and characteristics.

Continuing the Conversation
The conversation isn’t over, and the nine judges will be having a live debate on Daily Maverick Connect at 2.30pm to discuss the small town winners. All are welcome to join and share their thoughts and opinions on this year’s small town winners. Do you wholeheartedly agree with the selection of Barrydale as the top small town? Do you vehemently disagree? Join the debate and let your voice be heard. The details for the event are available, and Maverick Insiders can read all about each of the provincial winners in the DM168 e-edition. The debate promises to be a lively and engaging discussion, and all are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts on what makes a small town great.