8 minute read
Detective Sgt J.G. Kotzee
Maj Gen Dirk Schoeman
John grew up in Kokstad where his father was in the employ of the S.A. Railways. His father was a very busy bus driver on a route that took him into the former Transkei and Pietermaritzburg. His
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General Dirk Schoeman and Sgt John Kotzee
his desire to become a fully fledged detective. After successfully completing the detective course he was transferred to Cape Town where he was initially attached to the theft branch and later transferred to the housebreaking and theft branch. He recalls Lieutenant Acker as being a very competent Branch Commander and disciplinarian who did not take kindly to chancers. Being a boy from the “platteland” of Kokstad he initially found it difficult to adapt to the busy city life and the” pile” of dockets he had to investigate. On May 23, 1972 at about 22:00 whilst make enquiries in Canterbury Street Cape Town concerning a case, he observed a scuffle between people in which a woman was being attacked. He instantaneously went into action and went to the assistance of the woman and struggled with her assailant. Within seconds he was stabbed in the neck and chest and fell to the ground, bleeding profusely from his wounds whilst his assailant ran away. An ambulance arrived and he was rushed to the Woodstock Hospital where he was given a blood transfusion and lost consciousness. The following day he was transferred to the Spinal Unit at the Conradie Hospital. Doctors treating Detective Sergeant Kotzee said that his condition was extremely critical and they had little hope of saving his life as the attacker’s knife had severely damaged the spinal cord just mother was a school teacher. below the left ear. One of the biggest manhunts ever launched in Cape Town followed under the John went to Kokstad High School in East command of Lieutenant Colonel J.A.N. Griqualand and always had the fervent desire to Grobbelaar the District C.I. Officer in the Cape be a policeman. He would attend court cases in Town district. the Magistrate’s Court at Kokstad because he was intrigued with the role the police played in bringing cases to court. This incident changed his life as he was rendered a quadriplegic at the age of 26. After matriculating he was enlisted as a member of the South African Police in January 1965. In the SAP College he was in Troop 7 (M) which Following an extensive manhunt a 17-year-old Cuban seaman was arrested in relation to the incident. was the mounted troop. After completion of his Under the prevailing circumstances the court training, he was posted to Lusikisiki in the former case was heard in the Conradie Hospital with Transkei. Regional Court Magistrate J. H. Krige on the He served the SAP with a passion and was soon promoted to the rank of Sergeant after the completion of the prescribed promotion examination. He was then transferred to Evatt in the bench. The Magistrate found that the Cuban did not impress the court as a witness and that his evidence during the trial did not correspond with a statement he made soon after the incident. Kokstad district adjacent to the road descending The Magistrate further found that the use of the to Underberg in Southern KwaZulu-Natal close to knife did not justify the nature of the threat he was the Lesotho border. facing and that he did not act in self-defense, but Being a small Police Station, it was his responsibility to investigate a variety of cases, but mainly that he had stabbed Detective Sergeant Kotzee twice in quick succession. The Cuban was found stock theft cases from farms in the area. It was (Continued on page 211)
daughter who he describes as being a delightful person with special business skills. Detective guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily Sergeant Kotzee is a very special “oupa” to his harm and summarily deported. The ship from Cu- two grandchildren and they love and adore him. ba was waiting for him. The two grandchildren from his son’s marriage are John to this day does not understand why the a girl called Holly and a boy called Finn. accused was not in the first place charged with He has a sound, strong relationship with his son attempted murder and how he was allowed and his wife based on mutual respect. Drawings access into the country in the political dispensa- from his two grandchildren are displayed on the tion that prevailed in the country at the time. sideboard in his lounge. After a few months, still in hospital and during an He receives wonderful 24-hour support from interview with a Cape Town newspaper Detective wonderful caregivers. Sergeant Kotzee said the following: During visits to John, it was abundantly clear that “I am not bitter. I was on duty and I simply did John is a happy person, with a twinkle in his eye what I had to do. Maybe if I was in uniform it and is grateful to God for all the support he has would not have happened, who knows? The biggest problem was trying to adapt to a new life. I am adapting but it is not easy.” He was eventually discharged from the SAP as being medically unfit. Detective Sergeant Kotzee to this day remembers the moment when his appointment certificate was withdrawn as being very traumatic for him. He then had to make peace with the fact that his career in the SAP, which was his life’s ambition was finally over. It took him four years to adapt. After this incident he met his wife Irma and they were married on July 5, 1979. They relocated to the picturesque village of Trafalgar with a magnificent beach on the South Coast of KwaZulu Natal (on the road to Port Edward) to a house that belonged to John’s parents. His wife Irma sadly passed away a few years ago due to cancer. He weathered the death of his wife with dignity. He has a married son Jaydee Marx and a daughter Carissa who lives in Durban. His son recently emigrated to Ireland with his family. His son’s family found it impossible to part with their two dogs, Hiccup and Guinness and a cat called Socks which then found a new home with John. John enjoyed the company of the two dogs and Capt Heidi Slabbert and Sgt John Kotzee the cat immensely. He had complete control over the dogs and they were aware of the fact that they received from his friends in the area. On were not permitted to proceed beyond a certain occasions he was visited by Captain Heidi point at the entrance to his lounge. One of the Slabbert from the SAPS at Port Shepstone who dogs has since died and is still sadly missed by was willing to go the extra mile to assist him with John. some personal documents. He appreciated this The cat however, being a cat is in a different kind gesture from Captain Heidi immensely. league. John has a computer and is able to He loves the Trafalgar area and a visit to the local manage the ‘mouse’ with his left hand and type beach, which does not happen to often is somewith a stick held in his mouth. The cat now parks thing which he cherishes. himself on the keyboard and wants to play with On a Thursday afternoon horses from Selsdon the stick held in his mouth which John finds very Park Estate trot past his house providing pony entertaining. rides for children to the beach. He sits in the His daughter Carissa is in Durban in the catering house waiting for them to pass and to return. John field. thoroughly enjoys these moments and watches There is a strong bond between John and his (Continued on page 212)
the horses nostalgically. There is no room in his life for self pity and he is well aware of current affairs. As far as the changes the SAPS has undergone John passes the following comments: • In the light of the changes in the country at large he understands that transformation of the SAPS was in evitable which he accepts; and • He is concerned however that there are certain members that for whom regretfully the SAPS has become just a job and it is no longer a calling. He is an avid supporter of the Sharks and the Springboks. He displays a keen interest in his garden and birdlife in the area. Whenever work is done in his garden or paving by his assistant he watches keenly and gives instructions as to how the work is to be done. With very limited use of his left arm, he endures life with great courage. He relies on the wonderful carers in every sphere of his life that go out of their way to assist him. Once placed in his motorised wheelchair he is fairly independent. On one occasion he mentioned to Robert “on the quiet” that he leaves his driveway, looks left and right and if no cops are in sight, takes himself off to the beach at Trafalgar. John expresses his profound gratitude inter alia to the following people who have all contributed to make his life so much easier: • Robert and Yvonne Lawlor who accommodated him and his daughter at their home in Umtentweni on the South Coast at a Christmas one year and arranged for repairs to his wheelchair with a contribution from Polmed; • His special friends at Trafalgar, who have unfortunately not been able to visit him during the lockdown period; • A visit by the two ladies from The Aged Care Fund of the SAPS; • John always welcomes a visit from a member or ex-member of the Force; and • Support from Polmed Medical Fund. One can only have the greatest admiration for Detective Sergeant Kotzee for the manner in which he made peace with his disability and his ability to relate this incident without being bitter and that he takes an active interest in life and current affairs.
John would welcome it should any of his excolleagues wish to contact him at the following contact numbers:
Dirk Schoeman +27 (0)823311196 or dirkschoeman@yebo.co.za; and Robert Lawlor +27 (0)736330990 or robertlawlor45@gmail.com
