Morne de Heer gets 10 years for tying up and assaulting Ballito estate agent

The man who tied up and assaulted a Ballito estate agent last December has been jailed for 10 years. 

Morne de Heer (40) was found guilty by the KwaDukuza Regional Court last Tuesday of robbery, aggravated circumstances and theft of motor vehicle.

He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. 

According to Umhlali Saps detective sergeant Zungu, lead detective on the case, De Heer posed as a potential client looking to rent a home in Ballito.

On December 2 at around 2pm he entered an estate angency in Ballito having arranged with letting agent Nothando Masango to be taken on private viewings of rental listings. 

He was taken through the property and once they entered the main bedroom he grabbed the agent around her neck and strangled her until she lost consciousness.

He then tied her hands with cable ties. He locked the unconscious woman in the bathroom before stealing her Toyota Tazz and belongings. 

When Masango regained consciousness, she immediately alerted a local security company. 

Umhlali Saps together with the K9 Unit, emergency response services and security companies joined forces in search of her attacker.

Details of the stolen vehicle were quickly circulated and its tracker device activated, leading authorities to a parking lot in Umhlanga where the vehicle was found.

They kept a watch and when De Heer returned some 4 hours later, they followed him onto the M4 then stopped him near Umdloti where he was arrested. 

The estate agent’s stolen items were recovered along with a gas-powered pistol, rope and gloves which were seized by the police.