A small town with only 2,000 residents voted the best in South Africa
Bloemhof, a small agricultural town on the banks of the Vaal River with only 2,000 residents, was crowned South Africa’s Town of the Year for 2025.
The award, run by the programme Kwêla on kykNET, is an annual competition called “Dorp van die Jaar” (Town of the Year).
Towns in South Africa and Namibia are eligible, provided they have a population under 500,000 and have not recently won the competition.
The winning town receives a R1 million cash prize from Lottoland to invest in town development and another R1 million in advertising on kykNET and Kwêla.
This year, Bloemhof, an agricultural town in the North West Province, was named the Kwêla Town of the Year.
It beat other noteworthy towns, which were shortlisted, including Rehoboth in Namibia, Wildernis in the Western Cape, and Pennington in KwaZulu-Natal.
Bloemhof was established on a farm owned by John Barclay in August 1864, following the discovery of diamonds in the area.
The town was named after Jan Bloem, who was the right-hand man to the chief of the Springbok clan of the Korana nation.
In June 1869, the Volksraad of the South African Republic created a new district called Bloemhof, named after the town.
Today, Bloemhof relies mainly on agriculture, which includes maize, sunflowers, sorghum, peanuts, lucerne, and cattle.
The tranquil farming town lies on the Vaal River and borders the Bloemhof Dam, one of the largest dams in South Africa.
It was commissioned in 1970, has a capacity of 1,269,000,000 cubic metres, and has an area of 223 square kilometres.
It is popular among fishermen, especially for catching carp and catfish, and wildlife enthusiasts can see several antelope and 250 species of birds.
Bloemhof is regarded as an excellent stopover for holidaymakers in the North West Province, particularly those who enjoy outdoor adventures.
‘Bloemhof was always going to win’
Bloemhof resident and councillor, Albert Nel, explained that when he entered the competition, he was confident that they would perform well.
“I never doubted that Bloemhof would win and be named Town of the Year. Our community worked together to make this happen,” he said.
Nel explained that Bloemhof is flourishing because its residents join forces to ensure the town performs well.
“We have a fantastic community with great people across the cultural spectrum,” Nel said during a Kwela interview.
He added that they have great tourist attractions, including the Vaal River, the Bloemhof Dam, and excellent fishing competitions.
Nel also credited the agricultural community and farmers, who help to make Bloemhof a great town.
Lightstone said Bloemhof’s victory recognised the spirit of its citizens who overcame adversity to renew community pride and rebuild their town.
This is particularly impressive, considering it is not a wealthy town. Only 7% of households have an income above R26,000 per month.
The good news for people who want to move to Bloemhof is that they will not have to face high property prices.
Data provided by Lightstone showed that most homes in Bloemhof are valued at less than R500,000, well below the national average.
The average bond value in Bloemhof is just under R380,000, which is a quarter of the average bond value of R1.7 million in Wilderness.
Photos of Bloemhof
Bloemhof Makietie festival
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