“Disturbing Discovery Deepens Search for Missing Joslin Smith in Saldanha Bay”

The desperate search for six-year-old Joslin Smith, missing since February 19, 2024, from her home in Saldanha Bay, has taken a chilling turn with the discovery of blood-stained clothing in an open field near her residence in the Middelpos informal settlement. The find, confirmed by Western Cape police, has deepened the anguish of a nation already gripped by the disappearance of the Grade 1 learner from Diazville Primary School.

Police spokesperson Lt. Col. Malcolm Pojie reported that the clothing, believed to belong to Joslin, was found during late-night searches on March 2, 2024. “The investigation team descended on the scene where the pieces of clothing were seized as part of the ongoing investigation,” Pojie said. The items have been sent to the Plattekloof forensic laboratory for urgent analysis to determine if the blood is Joslin’s, a development that has heightened fears for her safety.

The discovery came amid an intensified search effort bolstered by the South African Navy, City of Cape Town resources, including K9 units and drones, and over 700 volunteers, both civilians and officers. Police Minister Bheki Cele visited Joslin’s family in Middelpos on March 2, pledging that “no resource will be spared” to find her. “There’s information, I guess there’s progress,” Cele noted, though no arrests have been made.

Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, reported her missing after returning from work to find her daughter gone. Kelly had left Joslin in the care of her boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis, as the child was feeling unwell and stayed home from school. Appollis claimed he last saw Joslin playing with friends outside, but she vanished shortly after.

The community’s grief is compounded by false social media claims, including videos alleging Joslin’s body was found, which police and activists have condemned as harmful misinformation. “It’s damaging to the investigation and the family,” said Missing Children SA, urging the public to refrain from spreading unverified posts.

On April 8, 2024, Police Minister Cele provided a bittersweet update: DNA tests confirmed the blood on the clothing did not belong to Joslin, offering a flicker of hope but no closer to answers. The search has since expanded internationally, with authorities investigating a tip that Joslin may have been on a ship docked in London, though a thorough search yielded nothing.

The case took a darker turn in March 2024 when four suspects, including Kelly Smith, Jacquin Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Phumza Sigaqa, were arrested and charged with trafficking and kidnapping. A fifth suspect, Lourentia Lombaard, was later implicated. Allegations surfaced that Kelly instructed Appollis and Van Rhyn to sell Joslin for R20,000 for muti, a claim made after a 36-hour interrogation. All suspects have abandoned bail, and the case remains under investigation, with details tightly guarded.

As of February 2025, a year after Joslin’s disappearance, she remains missing, and the investigation continues. Her grandmother expressed hope that moving the trial to Saldanha will shed light on her whereabouts. The community persists in its search, with vigils and a R250,000 reward offered for credible leads.

South Africans have taken to X to express their heartbreak, with one user writing, “Joslin’s smile haunts me. How does a child just vanish?” Another demanded, “Justice for Joslin—someone knows something.” The nation remains united in its hope for her safe return, while her case underscores the urgent need to combat child trafficking and strengthen community safety.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sergeant Millstine at Vredenburg FCS (079 879 8588), Crime Stop (08600 10111), or Missing Children SA (072 647 7464). Joslin’s green eyes and infectious smile continue to fuel a collective resolve to bring her home.