Nongqai Vol 17 No 8 – CID Sunnyside

SUNNYSIDE DETECTIVES

Lt Barry Taylor

During my career in the SAP, as well as later in private‑sector investigations, I encountered many unusual and memorable cases. As a young detective sergeant at Sunnyside, there was a period where I handled suicides, rapes, crimen injuria and similar matters. Although suicides were frequent, the crimen injuria cases were often the most intriguing. Sunnyside, Brooklyn, Arcadia and the surrounding areas were full of students — schools, a university and a teachers’ training college — and this created a unique environment for such offences.

The CSIR Manager

One case involved a senior manager at the CSIR. He used to sit in his Austin 85 near Pretoria Girls High School. When the girls walked past on the pavement, he would open the passenger door, expose himself, and call out to them to notice him. Eventually one of the girls took down his registration number, and she and her mother laid a charge.

I traced several more girls who had seen him and obtained their statements. Once I confirmed he was the owner of the vehicle, I called him to Sunnyside. He arrived, and after I confronted him, he tried to argue — but soon admitted everything. He claimed his wife was no longer interested in him and begged me not to inform her or his employer. I explained that I would not, but warned him that reporters often picked up such cases at court.

I charged him and warned him for court. A few weeks later he walked into my office, sat down, and told me I had no right to charge him because he was “mentally ill.” He threatened to report me to the Commissioner and sue the police. I told him he was welcome to do so.

At that point I decided to play my side of the game. I informed several reporters I knew at the Pretoria News and Oggendblad, and — as policy required — notified his department. I only saw him again on the day of the hearing. He lost his job, and the case appeared on the front page of the local newspapers.

The Teachers’ Training College Case

Another matter involved girls at the teachers’ training college opposite Travenna Supermarket in Esselen Street. Two students reported that a man regularly exposed himself to them on Wednesday afternoons around 15:00. For two Wednesdays I waited, but he did not appear.

I then told the girls they could play detective. They arranged for two of them to wait outside, give a signal when he arrived, and follow him to his car. A week or two later this happened, and they took down the registration number of a black Mercedes-Benz.

Traffic records showed the car belonged to someone living on a smallholding near Roodeplaat Dam. One rainy evening I went to arrest him. At Kameeldrift Police Station a constable immediately recognised the name — the man was a vice‑principal at a Pretoria school, and his subject was religion. The constable had matriculated there and offered to accompany me.

We arrived at the holding. My headlights shone on the black Mercedes in the garage — the correct vehicle. We knocked at the back door. A man opened, fitting the description perfectly. He was in his gown. I asked him to accompany me to Kameeldrift Police Station, mentioning only that I was investigating a crimen injuria matter at Travenna — just enough to unsettle him.

At the station I confronted him. He denied everything. I told him that was his right, but warned him that if the matter reached the newspapers, his career could be destroyed. He feared his wife finding out. I told him that was not our concern.

His warning statement was tragic. He was doing his PhD in religion at Potchefstroom University and travelled weekly. He gave a reason for his behaviour — which I will not repeat — but for once I felt sorry for the man.

I took the docket to the senior prosecutor, who agreed to prosecute. The next day he phoned to say the Attorney General had requested the docket. Months passed. Eventually the prosecutor informed me that the AG had decided the man must undergo psychological treatment before deciding on prosecution. Nine months later the docket was returned with a report and conditions under which there would be no prosecution. For once, I agreed with the AG’s reasoning.

I never heard from the man again — not even a thank you.

The Volkskas Executive

Another incident involved a man in a luxury car who exposed himself to women in Sunnyside. Two women took his registration number. The car belonged to Volkskas Bank Head Office. I phoned the bank and obtained the driver’s details — he was head of foreign exchange.

When I contacted him, he was extremely arrogant and refused to come to Sunnyside to see “a detective sergeant.” I asked a colleague to accompany me and went to Volkskas HO on the corner of van der Walt and Pretorius Streets — the building with the two bronze kudus at the entrance.

His secretary insisted I make an appointment. My temper rose. I told her I was entering his office, opened the door, and found him alone. He demanded to know why I had entered. In a calm voice I told him I was arresting him for crimen injuria.

He claimed I had no right to arrest him without the MD’s permission. I told him to stand up, walked behind his desk, took out my handcuffs, and cuffed him. We walked him through the open‑plan office with everyone staring. I informed his secretary of the charge — she had no idea what crimen injuria meant, so I explained it in front of the staff.

In 17 years in the police, I only handcuffed two people: this arrogant man and a lawyer at the Oostelike Club.

In the elevator he begged me to remove the cuffs. I refused. At Sunnyside, Major Basson asked where I had been. I told him. In his typical way, when you did something correctly, he said nothing and simply walked into his office.

The man initially refused to speak. I told him I would detain him at Pretoria Central until Monday. He then claimed his wife drove the car. I told him she must be the first woman I know who has a penis, and that I would phone her. He soon admitted everything. I charged him, took his fingerprints, and informed both his wife and Volkskas HO.

He lost his job and his marriage and pleaded guilty.

General Observations

Sunnyside had numerous crimen injuria cases due to the young population. In my experience, these offenders were generally harmless — they would not attack or assault women. Many were well‑educated. They all claimed they “could not stop themselves,” yet when a suspended prison sentence hung over their heads, they stopped immediately.

One case I investigated caused ructions throughout Pretoria University and later the SABC — but that is a story for another time.