Cape Town - Eighteen days after six-year-old Joshlin Smith disappeared from her Middelpos home in Saldanha Bay, four suspects, including her mother Racquel, who goes by Kelly, appeared alongside three others in connection with the case yesterday.
But as the four accused stood in the dock at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court facing charges of human trafficking and kidnapping, there remained no sign of the missing girl.
“Where is Joshlin?” chanted residents outside, who could not fit into the packed courtroom.
Kelly alleged that on February 19, she left Joshlin alone with her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, while she went to work in the morning.
The next day, a wide and extensive search began with community members and Saldanha Bay mayor André Truter scouring bushes and open veld around the informal settlement Joshlin disappeared from.
As the days passed, people from across the Western Cape donated money towards the reward that was offered for her return, or information on her whereabouts.
On February 26, as public attention was focused on conflicting versions of events that led to the child’s disappearance, including the time she was reported missing, Appollis appeared on TV saying he was not involved in Joshlin’s disappearance.
The community came in numbers when four people arrested in connection with the disappearance of Joshlin Smith, including her mother, Kelly Smith, and Jacquen Appollis, appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Video: Patrick Louw/Daily Voice pic.twitter.com/uoXngpcJbZ
On February 27, Johslin’s father Jose Emke arrived in Saldanha Bay, saying he wanted custody of his other daughter, a 3-year-old, who was then placed in the care of his family.
The next day, after Truter wrote to the City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, a small army of law enforcement officers, divers and the K-9 unit descended on the town to help search for Joshlin.
On Saturday, March 2, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that they had added more resources, including drones, to the search.
Eventually, three nights ago, on Tuesday, police made a breakthrough and arrested four people including Kelly, Appollis, his friend Steveno van Rhyn and Phumza Sigaqa.
They made their first appearance on Thursday morning on charges of human trafficking and kidnapping.
All four accused chose Legal Aid to represent them and their case was postponed until March 13 for bail information.
At court, some people asked the police to release Kelly and “let them deal with her” as they howled at the vehicle transporting the accused.
Back in Diazville, Joshlin’s paternal grandmother, Anna Wilson, was left distraught after witnessing Kelly in the dock. “I think the law must take its course. I was hurt when I saw the mother and her boyfriend standing in court, and they can’t give an account of where Joshlin is.
“This whole thing doesn’t make sense to me, it’s confusing.
“I can’t understand, she was part of the search team, why can’t they all come out with the truth? I just want Joshlin back, it doesn’t matter what condition she is in.
“If she is no longer there, then we can have a dignified funeral, and we can have peace of mind.
“It doesn’t feel right that the mother must sit in jail while the child is missing. The family is heartbroken, we pray every day for Joshlin, we hope she will be found.
“I believe she is still alive. In court, her father was shivering from the emotions he was feeling.
“We advised him that even if he sees Kelly he mustn’t show any hard feelings towards her or approach her.
“We are all waiting for the outcomes of the investigation.”
Meanwhile, Sigaqa’s husband Silindokuhle Bekameva denied his wife was a sangoma, as alleged by some in the community.
“My wife had nothing to do with this case, she is not friends with Kelly, isn’t a sangoma and has never been one, she was never arrested for anything.”
Resident Lwando Cengimbo said the search for Joshlin divided the community.
“First, when there was a rumour of a sangoma being arrested, the people were clearly accusing a black person.
“We know that Phumza is not a sangoma and has never been one. The search has now been divided into blacks and coloureds.”
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said they were one step closer to finding Joshlin or what happened to her.
“Yesterday was very significant, we have noted the two particular charges, human trafficking and kidnapping on the charge sheet. We sincerely trust the investigation will unfold what happened but we are still keeping hope she is alive. We want to find her alive.”
Acting Social Development MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said Kelly’s children were in their care, even though they were with family members.
“The two siblings are with families but we are taking care of that.”
Provincial police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile who was present at court, said they were still investigating and there could be more arrests and charges.
“We are making an appeal to everyone in this country and province to help us search. Anything is possible, more people will be arrested if the investigation leads us to that.”
Anyone with information regarding the Joshlin’s whereabouts is asked to contact the investigation officer, Millstine of Vredenburg FCS, at 079 879 8588 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za