A tribute to founding member of Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch

It is never easy to lose someone you love, no matter the circumstances, and this is exactly what happened to the Meyer family when they had to bid farewell to their husband and father.

Marius, 50, was last seen on 26 January when he went hiking in Macassar, Cape Town. When he did not return, a missing person’s case was opened. His body was found on 28 January.

There is a saying, ‘To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die’, and this is especially true about Marius. Two retired Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch committee members, Joey Preis and Dirk Lotriet remembered Marius, and said, “We want to pay our respects to Marius and the Meyer family as we have walked the path with them for more than 10 years since 2007. Our hearts go out to Hanlie, Nadia, family and friends.”

Joey added that the Meyer family resided in the suburb of Roodekrans for many years. “Marius was the founding member of the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch. They walked the streets during the early years to canvas members and motivate neighbours to support each other and combat crime.”

The committee was formed in 2007, with Marius as Chairman from 2007 to 2009. During this time, he introduced several valuable systems, including a crime-prevention plan to keep the community safe.

“The Meyer family was the heart of the community, connecting neighbours and building bonds. They served the community with dedication and passion for many years. They relocated to Stellenbosch where Marius continued his career at Stellenbosch University,” said Joey.

Marius was a Senior Lecturer in HR Management in the Department of Industrial Psychology at Stellenbosch University where he was responsible for the new #PGDipSHRM programmes, and lectured in Strategic HR Management.

According to the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), Marius has been part of the organisation for more than 20 years as an HRD practitioner, academic, consultant and manager. He also served as chair of the board for more than two years, and was the CEO of the organisation for eight years. He was also a lecturer at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and University of Johannesburg (UJ). He was a regular speaker at local and international conferences, and wrote 22 books and 150 articles on HR standards, HR competencies and HR risk management.

In a statement from the SABPP, published on www.chro.co.za, Marius is described as someone with a passion for leadership, strategy, governance, change, management and people development. The statement acknowledged his contributions and said he was a man of uncompromising commitment to the HR profession and its purpose. “He has served his purpose to the fullest and created a legacy that all of us need to protect and advance to greater heights.”

Joey concluded by saying, “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to a dear friend. Marius was a true leader, an excellent mentor, and a sincere and humble human being. We have wonderful memories and his legacy will stay with us forever. Marius, we salute you. You will forever remain in our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with Hanlie and Nadia.”

To support his legacy, his daughter Nadia set up a memorial page for him, which can be found at https://www.map4life.com/MariusMeyer?r_done=1