A typical Barrydale home with broekielace. (Photo: Biénne Huisman) 
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 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 our country. 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 prioritised 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.
Finally, each writer visited their provincial winner to re-score them based on first-hand experience. 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.”
For Naledi Mashishi, Cullinan (Gauteng), coming in fourth with 89.3%, has transformed from a mining town into “a destination now pulsating with artistic expression”. Not far behind was Clarens (Free State) with 88%, which Zukiswa Pikoli enjoyed for its “quaint, artisanal and artistic vibes”, as well as its “beautiful scenery and outdoor activity”.
Bloemhof (North West) came in sixth, scoring 84.6%. Takudzwa Pongweni felt as if she was “stepping gently back in time” when walking through the town, which often experiences harsh weather conditions including floods. However, this only proves the resilient spirit of the locals. Losing to Bloemhof by a hair’s breadth is Howick (KwaZulu-Natal). Scoring 84.5%, Greg Ardé was disarmed by the town’s charm and enthusiasm, describing Howick as a steam locomotive that “keeps on chuffing”.
Eighth place went to Hoedspruit (Limpopo), which Lucas Ledwaba praises for its appreciation of wildlife. “Watch out for that hyena, warthog or leopard that wants the ‘feel’ of the town,” he says. Having visited Richmond (Northern Cape) myself, I can confidently say that, despite coming last with 70%, the town is not to be underestimated. Wonderfully quiet and still, the town moves at a pace that will make you never want to return to the hustle and bustle of the city.
The conversation isn’t over
The nine judges (Biénne Huisman, Zani Barrish, Angela Daniels, Naledi Mashishi, Zukiswa Pikoli, Takudzwa Pongweni, Greg Ardé, Lucas Ledwaba, and myself) will be having a live debate on Daily Maverick Connect at 2.30pm today. All are welcome to join. We would love to hear what you have to say about this year’s small town winners. Do you wholeheartedly agree? Do you vehemently disagree? Join us and let us know. The details for the event are below:
Event: Daily Maverick Connect: South Africa’s Best Small Towns
Time: Today, Thursday, 18 December at 2.30pm
Registration link here.
If you are a Maverick Insider, you can read all about each of the provincial winners (and more) in the DM168 e-edition. DM