Author: Nadine Payle

Wilderness was selected as the Western Cape finalist in kykNET’s prestigious ‘Dorp van die Jaar 2025’ (Town of the Year) competition, and George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism ran a parallel competition to encourage Dorp van die Jaar voting. Residents, ratepayers, and the business community united in support of Wilderness, with voting enthusiasm running high as the town vies for the national title. Winning this coveted accolade will bring significant exposure and investment to the region, including R1 million in advertising and promotional content on kykNET platforms throughout the year, as well as a R1 million cash prize from Lotto Land. The cash award will be allocated towards the repair of the Wilderness Boardwalk—an iconic pathway used and enjoyed daily by residents and visitors alike.

The public was urged to vote and help secure the title for Wilderness in the final round, which closed on 18 July 2025. To sweeten the deal, George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism ran their own competition to encourage voting. Once someone had voted for Wilderness in the final round of the Kwela Dorp van die Jaar competition, they could submit proof to George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism via an online form or on Facebook Messenger to be entered into a draw to win amazing local prizes. The winners are as follows:

PRIZE 1 WINNER: CONGRATULATIONS TO NICOLA GREEFF
Valued up to R18,200

AfriCamps at Oakhurst – 2-night stay for 5 guests including breakfast and braai basket valued at R10,000
A 2 nights’ stay for up to 5 guests staying in one AfriCamps Boutique Glamping tent at AfriCamps at Oakhurst, Wilderness. Includes one cook-your-own breakfast basket per guest and one cook-your-own braai basket per guest. The tent offers an outdoor wood-fired hot tub.

Cape Vibe Tours and Transfers 2-hour sightseeing tour of Wilderness for 6 participants valued at R2,100
Cape Vibe Tours and Transfers offers ‘ Wilderness Wonders’, a 2-hour sightseeing tour of Wilderness. They will collect you – up to six people – from your accommodation in Wilderness and take you on a leisurely drive on the back roads through the indigenous hardwood forest along Island Lake past Rondevlei and the Wilderness National Park over the Touws River, up Whites Road to the Map of Africa and coastal viewing points. Stopping to enjoy the spectacular views of coast, lakes, forest and mountains, they will relay to you the geology, flora and fauna, wildlife, people’s history and culture, giving you an in-depth local perspective of what makes Wilderness uniquely beautiful.

Acrobranch Garden Route voucher for 6 participants valued at R1,800
Win Big with Acrobranch Garden Route! They’re giving away an epic voucher for 6! Choose any course option available – 2 hours of treetop thrills, ziplines and jungle vibes! Perfect for ages 3 to adult – it’s fun the whole tribe can enjoy! Valid for one-time use until 31 July 2027 – so get ready to branch out and play!

Wilderness River Safaris Touw River Boat cruise for up to 10 people valued at R3,500
The winner of this prize brings a group of friends and family (maximum 10 people) on a scheduled eco boat cruise on the Touw River with Wilderness River Safaris, and includes the SANParks entry permit and a glass of wine each. Bring your own snacks and refreshments. Enjoy a magical cruise up and down the Touw River from the Waterside Jetty at the start of the boardwalk at Wilderness Lagoon in Waterside Road. This is arguably the best experience and ‘showcase’ of the beauty of Wilderness.

The Hussar Grill George Date Night Voucher valued at R800
A couples (2 people) Hussar Grill George Date Night voucher which includes a 3-course meal per person, bottle of their 750ml Hussar red wine, as well as R350 for extra drinks or eats. Can only be used on Tuesday evenings.

PRIZE 2 WINNER: CONGRATULATIONS TO GAIL SEAGER
Valued up to R13,850

Oakhurst Farm Cottages two-night stay in a farm cottage for two people valued at R5,500
This voucher is valid for a two night stay at Oakhurst Farm Cottages for 2 people. It includes a braai basket on arrival for two and complimentary pre-heated hot tub.

Acrobranch Garden Route voucher for 4 participants valued at R1200
Win Big with Acrobranch Garden Route! We’re giving away an epic voucher for 4! Choose any course option available – 2 hours of treetop thrills, ziplines and jungle vibes! Perfect for ages 3 to adult – it’s fun the whole tribe can enjoy! Valid for one-time use until 31 July 2027 – so get ready to branch out and play!

Hello Africa Adventures Wilderness Wonder Tour valued at R2850
Wilderness Wonder tour from Hello Africa Adventures, dinner from The Girls and dinner transfers from Wilderness Express
Whisked off for a Wilderness Wonder 4-hour tour, hosted by a local guide in a luxury vehicle, that includes a visit to Woodville Big Tree (about 300m walk in the forest, fees apply), Map of Africa, a portion of the historic 7 Passes Road, a stop at Victoria Bay and a walk along the Promenade, followed a stop at Dolphins Point on return (roadworks allowing). This tour includes a delicious cheesecake treat in the forest and is followed by a delicious dinner at The Girls restaurant Al Fresco Lounge (to the value of R500.00). The prize includes all transport costs, to and from your location within Wilderness or Wilderness East, dinner, cheesecake treat and the company of a local guide. Voucher excludes any other refreshments, drinks, activities and entrance fees. Booking is for 2 adults and is subject to availability at time of confirmation. Departure times are limited to 14h00 to allow sufficient time for touring and dinner.

The Hussar Grill George Voucher and Wine valued at R800
This R500 voucher can be redeemed at the Hussar Grill in George and includes a bottle of 1.5Ltr Hussar Red Wine.

George Backpackers Transfer from George Airport to Wilderness for 2 to 8 guests
George Backpackers are offering a George Airport transfer for 2 to 8 people to/ from Wilderness.
All prizes offered are subject to the terms and conditions of each establishment and their availability.

“Thank you to everyone who rallied together to show their support for Wilderness – an iconic town on South Africa’s Garden Route. We wait with bated breath to see which town will take the Town of the Year crown in 2025.” says Joan Shaw, Tourism Manager.

Workers in action cleaning the surroundings at the Rosemoor Home for the Aged Rotary.

George Municipality, in partnership with the Garden Route District Municipality and the Western Cape Blood Service, co-hosted a successful blood donation drive in celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day on Thursday, 18 July 2025.

Pacaltsdorp Library officials and Yeboneers  handed out snacks and 40 soft toys donations to children of Rooibootjie creche, Syferfontein and children from Reiger Park on Mandela Day as part of giving back to the community.

The blood drive was the Municipality’s main event but other officials also ploughed back by cleaning areas in the community and others knitted beanies over a period over time and donated to different organisations.

The event took place at the George Banquet Hall and invited members of the public and municipal officials to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to this life-saving cause, in the spirit of Madiba’s legacy. A total of 58 donors participated in the drive, demonstrating strong support for community health and wellbeing.

Willbedine Jordaan busy painting Siyazama creche, Thembalethu on Mandela Day.

 Executive Mayor Jackie von Brandis feeding the dogs at the SPCA George as part of Mandela Day 2025 activities.

Francois Michaels, one of the event organisers, expressed his gratitude and noted that they were pleasantly surprised by the turnout from both officials and members of the public. “With the blood donated, these donors have helped save approximately 150 lives,” he said.
The Municipality extends its sincere thanks to all who participated and helped make a meaningful difference in honour of Nelson Mandela.

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Caption: George’s strong delegation was led by Mahlatse Phosa (Director, Planning and Development), Tourism Manager Joan Shaw, Alderlady Iona Kritzinger (MMC Finance and Strategic Services) and the Municipal Manager Godfrey Louw.

George Municipality demonstrated its commitment to driving tourism and investment growth by actively participating in the Western Cape Economic Summit, held from 8–10 July 2025 at the ATKV Goudini Spa in Rawsonville. The summit, hosted by Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr. Ivan Meyer, brought together key stakeholders to collaborate on strategies that will boost economic development across the province.

The first full day addressed the critical role of tourism in economic development, aligning with the “Growth for Jobs” (G4J) strategy. Key topics included tourism marketing, destination planning, data-driven decision-making, and the importance of strong institutional frameworks. Tourism Manager Joan Shaw featured as a panellist in the session on Destination Marketing Excellence, where she presented the George Municipality’s successful in-house tourism model. Her presentation highlighted that both in-house and outsourced models can be effective—what matters most is strong political support. Shaw also addressed strategic issues such as improved air access to George and the need for sustainable tourism funding. The contrasting—but effective—approaches of Cape Town and George drew particular interest from attendees.

Day two focused on investment attraction and facilitation. Participants took part in an Investment Facilitation Masterclass, which shared practical tools, principles, and real-world success stories to guide local governments in attracting and managing investments. The day concluded with a collaborative “World Café” workshop, where participants developed actionable strategies that will be shared across municipalities for implementation.

Reflecting on the summit, Alder lady Iona Kritzinger stated: “It’s encouraging to see George being recognized as a model for integrating tourism into local government strategy. As we move into the new term, our focus will be on identifying and promoting a pipeline of bankable projects to attract meaningful investment into George.”