Cape Town – Zelt Marais says it is a “great honour” to lead Western Province Rugby and that he “will give his all” to fulfil the mandate from the clubs.
Marais won by a landslide victory against Peter Jooste. He succeeds Thelo Wakefield as WP president, while there is further change in the top positions on the Western Province executive committee. Moneeb Levy replaces Marais as deputy president, while Spencer King was elected vice-president.
Marais said: “It is a great honour for me to be voted into this prestigious position and I will give my all to fulfil my mandate from the clubs and lead the WPRFU (Western Province Rugby Football Union) into the future.”
The union’s financial turmoil will be a significant task for Marais, who has also highlighted transformation and club rugby as two of his major focuses.
Marais - who has been a member of WP’s executive committee for 12 years - comes with a strong financial background. He has also served as vice-president and has chaired WP’s finance committee.
In an exclusive interview with the Cape Times, Marais said that he would take calculated risks to ensure a financially healthier Western Province.