Claude Wheatley was instrumental in modernising the town of Tzaneen, including campaigning for the tarring of the roads and bringing electricity to the town.
He was a registered chemist and druggist by trade but as a visionary, he became highly involved with the Town Council and served a number of terms as Town Mayor.
Wheatley was born in September 1914 in Johannesburg, where he spent his childhood and matriculated at the age of 16.
He studied pharmacy at the Technical College and registered on the 28th of January 1936 as a chemist and druggist in South Africa.
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On April, 26 1939, Claude Wheatley became the owner of Tzaneen pharmacy.
He erected the first double-storey building in town and created one of the most modern pharmacies in the old Transvaal.
His wife, Muriel, whom he met whilst lecturing at the college, was also a chemist.
In 1945, they started The Kloof pharmacy in Duiwelskloof and and Muriel was the pharmacist there. They later sold the pharmacy to Ronnie Lort.
While still in business, Wheatley developed a farm in Agatha and after selling the business in 1951, devoted himself wholeheartedly to farming citrus, blue gums, avocados and grenadillas.
Wheatley had an impressive service on Village Council, being first elected to the council in 1940 and serving for 26 years.
He was nine times Mayor of Tzaneen. His terms of office were 1943-44, 1950-55, 1959-61 and 1965-66.
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Immediately after being elected to council, he started campaigning for the tarring of the streets in town and the tarring programme began shortly after.
He then pressed strongly for the electrification of the town. The town was first connected in 1958.
He was further instrumental in having sewage works installed in the growing town.
Wheatley retired from council in 1966 due to a heart attack.
Wheatley passed away at his home in Tzaneen in 1978, at the age of 64.
Sources: Tzaneen ’75 and Letaba Herald 11 April 1986.
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