The fifth edition of the Best of Ballito Readers’ Choice Awards was the biggest in the competition’s history with more than 312 000 valid votes cast.

The competition reached almost every local business, from small start-ups to national companies with a North Coast footprint. Thousands were nominated and received votes across 243 subcategories, with 585 businesses finishing in the top three of their categories and 203 earning at least one first-place finish.

Competition was especially fierce this year, with a record 15 ties recorded across the top-three positions. To ensure every result reflected legitimate public sentiment and complied with the prescribed voting rules, 61 064 duplicate or otherwise ineligible votes were removed.

The full list of winners, runners-up and third-place finishers can be found on pages 31 to 33. Don’t miss our special Best of Ballito feature on pages 11 to 30, showcasing this year’s winners and the businesses that continue to shape the face of Ballito.

While many new businesses joined the winners’ circle in 2026, several familiar names continued their winning streak. We asked a few long-time winners how Best of Ballito has impacted their businesses.

Simbithi Eco-Estate brand manager Jodi Chetty said the awards have become an annual highlight for the estate.

“It is a source of validation for our team and community and we proudly affix our titles to our marketing materials,” she said.

“To know that Ballito affirms what we strive to achieve in line with our mission, ‘to become the pre-eminent residential eco-estate in Southern Africa’, is a valuable tool in our marketing kit. We are delighted to participate annually.”

La Piazza owner Marco Bortolussi said being recognised by the community the restaurant serves is a great honour.

“The awards have certainly had a positive impact on La Piazza. They have introduced many new guests to our restaurant, strengthened the trust of our loyal customers and motivated our entire team to continue striving for excellence,” he said.

“Seeing new families walk through our doors because they have heard about us or seen the Best of Ballito results is both rewarding and humbling.”

Twenty-three businesses have now won at least one category in every edition of the awards: 45 on Eat Street, Alchemy, IPSS Security, Ballito ISP, Ballito Self Storage, Bird & Co, Chapman Plumbing, Collar & Comb, Coricraft, Engen Ballito, Flag Animal Farm, IPSS Medical Rescue, La Piazza, Lianca Dookran Physiotherapist, Lovisa, Mozambik Ballito, RE/MAX Dolphin Realtors, Simply Models KZN, Sportsman’s Warehouse, The Waterberry Coffee Shoppe, Typo, Virgin Active Ballito and Woolworths Lifestyle Centre.

Visit bestofsouthafrica.co.za/ballito/ to explore all the 2026 winners.