Every entrepreneur has a story — and every story carries a lesson.
Bizzin: The Podcast is a space for honest conversations about the real journey of entrepreneurship — the growth, the grit, and the grace it takes to build both the person and the business.
Through powerful conversations and personal stories, we explore what happens when entrepreneurs focus on growing themselves first — because that’s where real business growth begins.
If you’re passionate about purpose, leadership, and personal development, these are the conversations that remind you why you started — and inspire you to keep going.
Ep 49: Who to Vote For in the 2026 Local Elections | Garden Route Mayor
Local government elections are on 4 November 2026. Mayor of the Garden Route Marais Kruger explains how to decide who gets your vote, what a mayor and a ward committee actually do, and why he says this election is about basic services.
Who to vote for in the 2026 local elections is a question of understanding the future of our region. In this episode of the Bizzin Podcast, host Des-lie van Wyk sits down with Marais Kruger, Mayor of the Garden Route, for a practical conversation about leadership, service delivery and how to make your vote count on 4 November 2026.
We break down the critical factors influencing the upcoming local elections, from what a mayor really does behind the scenes to how ward committees and the 5-year Integrated Development Plan (IDP) turn community needs into action. Whether you are a voter looking for clarity or a business owner wondering how local government affects your pocket, this conversation covers the practical realities of governance and what to look for when evaluating leadership.
IN THIS EPISODE:
• Why the mayor says "never vote with your heart, vote with your head"
• What basic services are (water, sanitation, refuse removal and electricity) and why he says this election is about them
• What a mayor does beyond cutting ribbons
• Ward councillor vs mayor: who decides what
• Why this is a local government election, not a provincial or national one
• How coalitions and outright majorities affect service delivery, in his view
• Small business, youth unemployment, infrastructure and giving back
• Five quick questions and the future of the Garden Route
KEY MOMENTS:
0:00 Cold open: "Vote with your head"
0:43 From packing bags at 10 to mayor at 37
13:25 What does a mayor actually do?
16:03 "Basic services are non-negotiable"
18:14 Ward committees and the 5-year plan
27:44 4 November: the voter's responsibility
28:05 How to decide who to vote for
34:17 Why this election is local
37:03 Jobs and coalitions
43:13 The youth unemployment problem
52:30 Five quick questions
54:25 The future of the Garden Route
SPONSOR:
This episode includes a sponsored message from Van Wyk Consultants and Accountants. https://vwykinc.co.za/
Subscribe to the Bizzin Podcast for more real conversations with South African entrepreneurs and thinkers. What are the biggest issues you want to see addressed before the next vote? Tell us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizzinpodcast/
DISCLAIMER:
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Bizzin. Our guest is a member of the Democratic Alliance and has said he is a candidate for ward 2 in the 2026 local government elections. Bizzin does not endorse any political party or candidate, and this episode is not a voting recommendation.
5 Oct 2026
Ep 48 | "Winning a Trophy Lasts 2 Days": Dean Burmester on Family, LIV Golf and Life in George
One phone call. Two weeks to decide. A family that always came first.
In this episode, Dean and Melissa Burmester share the real story behind Dean's move from the PGA Tour (Professional Golfers' Association Tour) to LIV Golf. Eight tournaments into his PGA Tour career, a call from Louis Oosthuizen gave him two weeks to decide, and the choice became a family decision long before it was a golf one.
They talk candidly about what nobody tells you about life in professional golf: that the glamour is mostly hotel rooms and early mornings, why Melissa put her own career aside and found her why through running, and how two people stay adaptable when every season looks different. It's also a story about growing up, with two boys, a village of family in George, and a business they are building together.
Topics covered:
How Dean and Melissa met in Bloemfontein, and why it "shouldn't have worked"
The reality of tour life: flying economy, the Challenge Tour and raising toddlers on the road
The call from Louis Oosthuizen and the decision to join LIV Golf
Why they moved back to George and never looked back
Going into business with family
Staying humble when everyone wants a photo
Teaching their boys to work for what they want
What success really means after a life in sport
Whether you're a golf fan, balancing a demanding career with family life, or building something with the people you love, this conversation delivers.
Guests: Dean and Melissa Burmester. Hosted by Des-lie van Wyk, with Jessica.
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Bizzin.
2 Jul 2026
Episode 47 | Building a Restaurant Empire — Chefs Ben & Jeremy Gibbs (Wildroute Restaurant Group)
Two brothers. Five restaurants. Zero plan to ever work together.
In this episode, Chef Ben and Chef Jeremy Gibbs share the real story behind Wildroute Restaurant Group — from washing dishes as teenagers on a farm-town tea garden, to brutal Michelin-style kitchens overseas, to betting everything on a restaurant scene in George that "everyone comes to with millions and leaves with none."
They talk candidly about what nobody tells you about owning a restaurant: that it's less about food and more about people management, why winter slow seasons force you to rebuild your business strategy, how they navigate rising ingredient costs (including flying in Wagyu beef), and the hiring lessons learned from years of trying to build loyal teams in a small coastal town.
It's also a story about brotherhood — how two people build something lasting together without a business plan, and what it actually means to trust a business partner completely.
Topics covered:
Starting in restaurants as teenagers and working overseas in professional kitchens
The moment that changed everything: buying into George's hospitality scene
Why running a restaurant is fundamentally an HR and mentorship job
Managing chaos, rising costs, and seasonal slowdowns in fine dining
Balancing five different restaurant concepts and letting go of control as you grow
Hiring philosophy: promoting from within vs. bringing in outside talent
What "success" really means after decades in hospitality
Whether you're in the restaurant industry, building a business with family, or just want an honest look at entrepreneurship in South Africa's Garden Route, this conversation delivers.
Wildroute Restaurant Group: 101 Meade · Cula · Ilali · Butterfly Blu · Portobello - George, South Africa.
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