Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (S.Afr.) an old person of either sex.

[1963		Wilson & Mafeje Langa 28: The middle-aged and elderly type known as amatapi from topi, the pith sun-helmet worn by an earlier generation of Europeans [...] The amatopi proper are over 45. [Ibid.] 163: R was still kicking him when an elderly man, an itopi, appeared].
1963		L.F. Freed Crime in S. Afr. 127: Their [tsotsies] word for an old man is ‘toppie.’.
1977		F. Dike First South African 12: How he can live at the hostels taking all that shit from those toppies there?
1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 17: The old toppie always used to get lost.
1989		B. Simon ‘Score Me the Ages’ Born in the RSA (1997) 137: Hey check that Rover there – check the toppie man!
1997		Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 24 Jan. 🌐 In those days I was still much younger than I am now, but to them I was a ‘toppie’.
2007		in ‘Ben Trovato’ On the Run 270: I scheme the poor old toppie really kakked himself when he read your article.

2. (also toppy) a father.

1964		A. La Guma Threefold Cord 13: I’ll go and see how the old toppy is this morning.
1989		B. Simon ‘Score Me the Ages’ Born in the RSA (1997) 133: Her pistons are fucked hey. My toppie’s got three of those lying in the back yard.
1990		A. Dangor Z Town Trilogy 97: Hey, I don’t have a smart ou toppie to go and look for. Mine lived here in Z Town. A simple ou Bush toppie.