White River one of best small towns to live in!

White River has been voted as one of South Africa’s best small towns to live in.  In December 2026, the Daily Maverick crowned this town its Small Town of the Year after it achieved a score of 93%  This score is only 1% behind Barrydale which took top honours.  This was the result of a months-long selection process that began with readers nominating their favourite towns across the country.

The towns were evaluated in seven categories:  cleanliness, municipal   performance, community spirit, safety, natural environment, family        friendliness and connectivity. Daily Maverick stressed that “White River also has that defining element, the “M-Factor” – the intangible energy that shapes a town’s character”.

White River is one of the most popular holiday destinations for tourists and locals alike, with a reputation for its variety of arts and crafts, as well as its close proximity to the Kruger National Park and the Panorama Route, to top it off, the Mozambique border is only 95km away.

The readers enjoys the climate, along with access to essential services, as well as easy connectivity with the nearby KMIA airport, and a key factor in its ranking is the town’s management—”it’s very well looked after”.

We would like to give credit to The Power of 8000 for your hard work in keeping the town clean and beautiful.