Nearly three months later and still no sign of Joshlin Smith

The search for the missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith from Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape remains ongoing.

Joshlin from Diazville, disappeared without a trace on February 19, after 5pm.

It has been 76 days since the Grade 1 learner’s disappearance and no news of her whereabouts have surfaced.

The Western Cape police spokesperson, Captain Frederick van Wyk said the matter was ongoing.

Jacquen Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Kelly Smith in the dock in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court.Photo: Patrick Louw/Independent Newspapers

“Kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation. There are no developments to report to the media at this stage. The search/investigation into the matter is still ongoing,” van Wyk said.

Last week, the Cape Argus reported that a private investigator has become involved in the search for Joshlin, claiming he located her static DNA in the Saldanha Bay area.

Lourentia Lombaard in court. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

Retired police officer Danie Krugel, claimed he had found Joshlin’s hair.

According to the publication, Krugel is the inventor of the Matter Orientation System (aka Krugel Theory Tester), which he claims can track a person’s location by using their DNA, for instance, a strand of hair, which he was given.

“We found Joshlin’s hair and we have our findings but we can only share it with the police.

“We didn’t charge anything for Joshlin because this case touched us, and also we wanted to help the police and trust that the police will do the best they can to help Joshlin,” Krugel told Cape Argus.

Retired police officer and private investigator Danie Krugel.Photo: Courtesy Carte Blanche

Krugel rose to fame when he took on the task of tracing missing people like the renowned case of Madeleine McCann, the three-year-old British toddler who disappeared while on holiday with family in Praia da Luz in Lagos, Portugal.

A R1 million reward for the safe return of Joshlin is still on the table.

The reward was posted by the leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Gayton Mckenzie.

Currently, Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appolis, Stevano van Rhyn, and Lourentia Lombaard have been charged with trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping.

The group all abandoned their bail and are remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Monday, May 13.

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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