TZANEEN – The Greater Tzaneen Municipality council inaugurated a new proportional representative councillor from the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), Wayne Kurten.

Kurten was inaugurated after the resignation of Pierre Welthagen, who replaced the party’s André Moss last year. Moss was elevated to the provincial leader of the FF Plus in October 2024.

Kurten’s background and community roots

Originally from Phalaborwa, Kurten has been a resident of Tzaneen since 2011. He runs Max Marine, a business providing maintenance and repairs for marine equipment, and has also worked in irrigation and factory maintenance.

Married with two children, the new councillor is a passionate sportsman. He has represented Limpopo at provincial and national levels in bass fishing and has captained provincial golf teams for several years.

Priorities

Highlighting his priorities for the municipality, he pointed to the ageing water and electrical networks and the deteriorating road conditions, particularly in the industrial and high-traffic areas. “Potholes and poor road conditions are a major concern. Some roads need complete reconstruction rather than temporary fixes,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of transparent communication with residents. “Many issues arise from misunderstandings or rumours. I want to make myself available to provide clarity and assist with matters like utility bills,” he said.

Kurten emphasised his open-door approach and his commitment to working collaboratively with fellow councillors to improve service delivery.

Principles of service and accountability

He said he aims to ensure that residents’ voices are heard and acted upon. “I hope to be remembered as someone who treated everyone with respect and fought for service delivery improvements that benefit the whole community,” he said.

Guided by a combination of wisdom and practicality, the councillor shared two quotes that inspire his work. He cited Albert Einstein: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything,” and a personal reminder: “Rome was not built in a day; they worked at night as well.”