You’ll find sympathy for Markus Jooste hard to come by, and that’s certainly true in Hermanus.

The disgraced former Steinhoff CEO has been keeping a low profile these past few months, with rumours swirling that he has been hiding out in the seaside town.

We know he has substantial property interests in the area (HERE), and many of his neighbours have been keeping an eye out for him and his family.

News24 with some of what they had to say:

“Other years we’d see him regularly, but not this year,” says one neighbour who lives across the entrance to Jooste’s house, which takes up an entire block between 10^th and 11^th Avenue.

“Until now he’s been a pleasant neighbour. Then he did the dirty on us. I hope you find him and tie him up,” says the English woman who’s lived here for more than a decade.

“Last night someone tried getting in through the gate, but couldn’t.” Just like all the other people YOU talked to, she doesn’t want to be named.

“Hermanus is a small town,” she explains.

He ‘did the dirty on us’? Interesting turn of phrase, but we get your point.

“There was a lot of movement [at the house] but I don’t know if it was him and his wife.” Another neighbour’s daughter confirms this. She’s a student, visiting her parents for the holiday.

“We know what he looks like,” she says. “I didn’t see him myself, but there were cars there the whole time.” Her parent’s home is a double storey, so they’re able to see what’s happening behind his property’s walls.

Could be Jooste and his wife, or it could be Jooste and alleged mistress Berdine Odendaal (HERE).

It’s the front of the property walls that were in the news just after Christmas, someone spray painting “thief” and “con artist” on the walls.

These pics via Huff Post SA, the second showing the hasty cover-up paint job:

And as for the day the reporter visited? Well, just one car parked at the house and some washing hung out to dry.

Much like those who were relying on Steinhoff shares for their retirement fund.

[sources:news24&huffpostsa]