The votes are in!

After months of nominations, campaigns and voting, we are thrilled to announce this year’s winners in The North Coast Courier Best of Ballito Readers’ Choice Awards.

Now in its third year, the 2024 edition of the Best of Ballito awards has been without question the biggest yet, drawing over 235 000 votes.

While giving the public an opportunity to recognise good service by casting their votes, it is also the best way to discover great new businesses you may not have come across on the North Coast.

All of the winners, as well as second and third in each category, have been published on pages 14 to 16, and will be easy to find on the Best of Ballito website any time you are looking for a recommendation throughout the next year.

Our celebratory feature continues until page 35!

Considering more than 20 000 unique voters logged on to have their say, there is clearly an appetite for discovery as well as a desire to give kudos to the best of the best.

A select group of businesses have been voted as winners in all three editions of the competition.

“It is not something that is just given,” said three time Best Plumber winner, Barry Chapman of Chapman Plumbing.

“We work hard every year to try and be the best and we are hugely grateful to the North Coast community for choosing us once again.”

Concha Café is another perennial winner, taking home the Best Coffee Shop award three years running.

“The competition is always a big talking point among our team and to get the win makes us feel like we are unified with our customers,” said Concha co-owner Diogo Barendse.

“We are proud to display the award in store and it gives us credibility with the locals, who all know the competition, as well as when tourists come and ask us what it means.”

Aside from the winning businesses, the Best of Ballito competition also offers four incredible prizes to randomly selected voters.

Every single person who voted in the competition, and opted in for the prizes, was entered into the draw.

This year’s prizes include luxury getaways with competition partners Rhino River Lodge, Rain Farm Game Lodge and Spa, Sibaya Lodge and Hluhluwe Country Cottages worth a combined R30 000!

Congratulations to the four winners – Dee Southwood, Lallie Naicker, Stacey Beets and Shivekk Ramduth.

Southwood takes home a two-night stay for two at Rhino River Lodge, while Naicker wins a weekend for two at Rain Farm Game Lodge and Spa.

Beets can look forward to a two-night stay for two at Sibaya Lodge and Ramduth closes out the victors with a two-night stay for four at Hluhluwe Country Cottages.

For more information on the competition, visit bestofsouthafrica.co.za/ballito.

Find the full list of winners across some 223 publicly nominated categories here.

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