Saldanha Bay – Even under the scorching Saldanha Bay sun, the search for seven-year-old Joshlin Smith, who vanished in February last year, continues. A dedicated group of women braved the heat on Wednesday, tirelessly scouring the area, determined to find the missing child. This unwavering commitment comes as Joshlin's mother, Racquel "Kelly" Smith, along with her boyfriend, Jacquen "Boeta" Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn, face intense scrutiny in the Western Cape High Court.
The trio stands accused of kidnapping and human trafficking, charges to which they have pleaded not guilty. The trial, held at the multipurpose centre in Saldanha Bay, has been gripping the nation, with each day bringing new revelations and emotional testimonies.
Lourentia "Renz" Lombaard, initially arrested alongside the accused, has turned State witness, testifying under Section 204 for indemnity from prosecution. Her cross-examination, which began on Tuesday, continued on Wednesday, with defence advocate Fanie Harmse meticulously dissecting her statements and comparing them to her court testimony.
The witness was also shown photographs of the Middelpos informal settlement as the defence tried to get more details about what she had told the court during her evidence-in-chief.
Before Lombaard's cross-examination continued on Wednesday, News24 observed at least six women with dogs searching through the area.
Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, a group of determined women, Chandre Hallows, Bern Davids, Laverne Haas, Charmaine Blows, Stefanie Hendricks and Nancy Stevens, continued their relentless search for Joshlin. Passersby cheered them on, shouting encouragement like: "Come on Saldanha Bay rescue ladies," and: "Keep up the good work ladies."
Convinced that Joshlin is still alive, Hallows told News24 that they would only stop searching for her when police tell them that the child has been found, or if they close the missing child docket.
She said: "Oh no my darling, we will not stop searching for this little child. She is alive. It's just a matter of time before we know where exactly she is, but I believe she will be found."
Hallows added that the search team was formed a few days after Joshlin's disappearance in Middelpos.
Blows in turn said even though the searches were scaled down, they were determined to continue.
"Look, we understand people's daily lives cannot come to a standstill for everyday searches, but we made it our mission to at least search two times a month when we are available," Blows added.
More people would usually participate in weekend searches, the women added.
"She could have been anywhere. So, we search anywhere and almost everywhere. Joshlin must be found, man. She has to be. It's more than a year already that she is gone. Where is she?" Blows questioned.
"We are praying women, and we believe she is alive and will be found. So, for now, we’re doing our part and walking for Joshlin Smith," said Blows.
The trial continues before Judge Nathan Erasmus.
Amidst the legal proceedings and the ongoing search efforts, Joshlin's uncle, Mr Daniels, has broken his silence, urging the public not to lose sight of the central issue: what happened to Joshlin.
The brother of Racquel "Kelly" Smith says people mustn't allow themselves to be distracted from the focus of the case and what happened to Smith's daughter Joshlin, whose kidnapping she is accused of.
She testified about Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp exchanges she had with Smith in February last year, at the time that Joshlin went missing.
But, in a now-deleted post on Facebook, Daniels said: "I see my sister is trending but please don't ask me about it. I want no part in it because the focus should be on the important matters at hand, specifically what happened to Joshlin."
"I am genuinely saddened by what happened to Joshlin. It still hurts me to this day."
Daniels described the allegations as "horrific" and said Smith "does not deserve to be called a mother".
"However, I ask that you do not judge me or my family for Kelly's [alleged] actions," he added. "My parents did not raise her. She was brought up by my grandparents."
They have the same mother but different fathers, he said.
"At that time, my mother was financially unstable and unable to support her, so my grandparents stepped in," he added.
Smith, he said was a bright child who passed with excellent marks.
He added: "She had the potential to pursue a higher education or secure a good job, but she chose a path involving drugs, which ultimately led her to her current state – a decision she made on her own."
Daniels said their mother and the Daniels' father worked hard to improve their financial situation, and offered Smith help on multiple occasions so that she could get her life back on track, but she refused their help.
"She returned to Saldanha, where she had [her son, Joshlin's older brother], but continued to struggle with her drug habits.
He said the family continued to support the son and bought him gifts and clothing.
"Later, she had Joshlin and my parents provided support for her as they did for [the son]. Unfortunately, Kelly didn't stop using drugs," Daniels added.
His parents wanted to raise Smith's children as their own but legally, the family could not do so because the decision was Smith's as their biological mother.
"We made several attempts to get Joshlin and [her brother] out of that harmful situation. So, don't say we didn't try or that we don't care. My family and I grew up under my parents' care, and we were taught discipline, good manners, kindness and respect for others.
"We would never engage in such horrible actions. My parents were eventually able to take [the son] in, and he is now being raised in a loving environment, which shows a significant difference. Please don't judge us without knowing the full story," Daniels pleaded in the post.
"We were fully aware of the potential judgement we might face, and it has become exhausting. I understand that some people are genuinely trying to understand what is going on, but others seem intent on creating negative stories about us.
"Not everyone has a good heart and wants to see us succeed," he said.
He appealed to people to try to understand their perspective.
"We are human beings who just want to live a normal life without facing endless negativity and hatred. I ask you humbly to share this message so that the people with so many unanswered questions can see, and hopefully it answers all their questions," Daniels said.
