Voting opens on Sunday July 17 at 18:00 and closes on Friday July 22 at 12:00. Locals are encouraged to start voting by sending a SMS with the word, “Haenertsburg”, to 33157. SMS’s cost R1.50 and 50 can be sent from one number. In this annual competition, Southern Africa’s top towns get the opportunity to show the country what and who makes their town special in the areas of culture, activities, landscape, tourism or heritage and thousands M-Net’s Kwêla viewers are able to vote for their top town in nine regions.

Lisa Martus of Love Limpopo told the Herald that despite Haenertsburg being a small town, “there are a huge variety of events and activities taking place all year round, so it is no surprise that Haenertsburg is in the running for the coveted title”. The winner will be announced on the show on July 31 and will win an incredible 1 million Rand worth of marketing from Kyknet. Homebrew Films, the producers of Kwêla, will make a 45-second advertisement about the town, which will be broadcast during Kyknet’s advertising time.

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There will also be a big KIA Town of the Year makietie (festival) in the winning town – with music, food, fun and just a lot of that winning town spirit! Kwêla will be there to film it, and it will be broadcast later this year. At the top are photos of the film crew filming the insert for for Kwêla. Photo of Haenertsburg taken by Sandi Leigh Moore of The Mountain Company.