South African Mother and Boyfriend Charged with Trafficking in Joslin Smith Disappearance Case

The mother of Joslin Smith, a six-year-old girl, who went missing in South Africa since February 19 has been accused of human trafficking and kidnapping. Kelly Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and two others, faced charges following their arrest. The disappearance of Ms. Smith’s daughter, Joslin, occurred outside their home in Saldanha Bay near Cape Town.

The four accused individuals made an appearance in court, where they were not required to enter a plea, amidst widespread attention from the South African public. A significant crowd gathered outside the court, demanding the return of Joslin.

According to reports from the Citizen newspaper, the prosecution alleges that Ms. Smith instructed Mr. Appollis and another accomplice, Stefano van Rhyn, to sell Joslin to a traditional healer for 20,000 rand.

Although South Africa witnesses a child going missing every five hours on average, efforts to locate Joslin, including extensive search operations involving navy, drones, and sniffer dogs, have not yet been successful. The search continues, with investigators discovering bloodied clothing in the vicinity where Joslin was last seen.

Ms. Smith and her co-accused, including an individual identified as a traditional healer, have been held in custody until March 13, pending a bail hearing. They have all expressed their intention to seek legal aid.

Some traditional healers in South Africa are known to engage in practices involving body parts for supposed medicinal purposes, a practice widely condemned.

Despite the distressing situation, Ms. Smith remains hopeful about finding her daughter, expressing her determination to search every corner of the area herself if necessary.

Following Joslin’s disappearance, community members conducted frantic searches in various locations, including sewers and pits. Saldanha Bay Mayor André Truter noted the emergence of an agitated community, with some resorting to raiding homes and confronting neighbors in search of the missing child.

A reward of 100,000 rand has been offered for any information leading to Joslin’s whereabouts. She was under the care of Mr. Appollis at the time of her disappearance, an assertion he has denied.