Jerome Booysen's house in Bellville South, Cape Town, that was robbed on Tuesday morning.

• Armed men raided the Bellville South home of alleged Sexy Boys gang leader Jerome Booysen on Tuesday while he was appearing in the Western Cape High Court on murder charges.
• Booysen said the suspects tied up his domestic worker, stole jewellery, cash and expensive clothing, and fled with the property’s CCTV control box.
• Police confirmed that the domestic worker was tied up during the robbery, but no injuries were reported, and no arrests have yet been made.

Cape Town underworld figure and suspected Sexy Boys gang leader Jerome “Donkie” Booysen says the armed men who raided his Bellville South home appeared to know he was not there.

The Glenhaven mansion was ransacked on Tuesday while Booysen was in the Western Cape High Court, where he is standing trial for the murder of international “steroid king” Brian Wainstein.

He said his domestic worker was alone at the property when a group of armed men entered the house.

“They tied her up and had grinders. They tried to open the big safe but only managed to open the small one, where they took jewellery and money,” Booysen told News24.

When News24 arrived at the scene, police officers had completed fingerprint collection and were gathering shoe and clothing boxes allegedly handled by the suspects.

Booysen was at the house with family members, and bodyguards were outside.

He said:

According to Booysen, his domestic worker told him that seven men were involved, all wearing gloves and allegedly posing as police officers.

He said the robbers also stole the CCTV control box, preventing him from immediately reviewing the footage.

“They also took money, but I do not yet know the value of the clothes, jewellery and cash taken. As I said, I am just happy no one was hurt,” Booysen added.

When asked whether he believed the robbery was targeted, or how he felt about the incident, he declined to elaborate, saying only: “It happens,” with a shrug.

Western Cape police said a house robbery case had been opened following the incident.

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Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk added that Bellville South police registered the case after the robbery at around 11:05 on Tuesday.

“According to reports, the female worker in the house was tied up. No injuries were reported. The attackers were unidentified males. The homeowner was not present at the house at the time of the incident,” Van Wyk said.

He added that investigations into the stolen items were ongoing, and that no arrests had yet been made.

In the High Court case, Booysen has pleaded not guilty to charges including the murder of Wainstein, who was shot dead at his Constantia home in August 2017 while sleeping beside his wife and child.

Two of Booysen’s co-accused in the case – alleged underworld figures Mark Lifman and Andre Naude – were shot dead in separate incidents in recent months while the trial continues.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Booysen’s comment.