Well known by the Lowveld for his years of service in security and keeping the townspeople safe, Jacques Meiring is bidding farewell to the company he started almost a decade ago.
Meiring first started his service to the Lowveld in 1988 when he became a prison warden for the prison service in Barberton. From there, he has worn many hats, including that of a firefighter and a traffic official while working for the City of Mbombela from 1990 to 2005.
These experiences led Meiring to grow strong relationships with the communities of the Lowveld, with many people coming to know him by his first name for the multiple arrests he made and the crime-fighting initiatives in which he was regularly involved.
“My past experiences helped me to have a solid understanding of the law and how to enforce it within the Lowveld,” he said.
Divergent Ops was founded by Meiring seven years ago and his wife, Claire, became part and parcel of the company’s success. He said when he first started Divergent Ops, there were a lot of naysayers who did not think the business would last longer than three months.
“God willing, we were able to establish and build an incredibly strong brand within the Lowveld.
“I was fortunate in how Divergent Ops grew in that my reputation preceded me, and through the years I had already gained the trust of the people, which I am thankful for.
“I am also grateful that the community was willing to afford me the opportunity to offer them a service in the security industry. If it weren’t for their support, we wouldn’t have made it the success we have.” However, shortly after forming Divergent Ops, the couple suffered a devastating blow when their daughter passed away.
“It was extremely tough, and a person tends to isolate themselves from everyone as one goes through the grieving process. But it also taught us the value of family and that life is short, so it is important to value one another while we are all still here on earth,” he said.
It was after his daughter’s death that Meiring decided to step down from serving the community and was away from fighting crime for two years before he came back with force and joined Bossies Community Justice (BCJ).
“After the two-year break, I decided to join BCJ. I knew that I was not yet done with serving the public and felt I also needed to grow as a person and push boundaries to see what I was capable of.
“Through their support, I was able to make BCJ a beacon of hope for the community regarding combating crime.”
He said one of his fondest memories from his time as the head of Divergent Ops was when his employees began approaching him, telling him that because of the jobs they had been given, they were now able to buy houses and cars.
“This is not a common thing for the security industry at all. It was special to be able to be part of uplifting someone’s life.”
He added, however, that one of his toughest moments while at Divergent Ops was when armed response officer, Hentie “Mamba” Scholtz (28), died in 2019.
When asked what Meiring would do after stepping down as the head of Divergent Ops, he said he was open for opportunities and would see what offers came his way.
“The plan is to stay here in the Lowveld. However, if an amazing opportunity should present itself elsewhere, we might consider relocating.”
Meiring’s advice for the people now heading up the security business is: “Connect with the community and make the best of all situations.”
His message to the Lowveld is as follows:
“Trust in God and trust in the process. He is in control. Everything happens in His time.”
