A South African High Court has convicted Kelly Smith, the mother of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith, alongside her boyfriend Jacquen Apollis and their friend Steveno Van Rhyn, for the kidnapping and trafficking of the child. The heartbreaking case, which gripped the nation since Joshlin vanished in February 2024, has now ended in a landmark ruling at the Western Cape High Court on Friday, May 2, 2025.
Joshlin was reported missing from her home in Middelpos, a quiet town in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, on February 19, 2024. Despite intense nationwide searches and appeals, the child has never been found. The mystery surrounding her disappearance only deepened as investigations revealed that those closest to her were involved in her abduction.
During the trial, damning testimonies painted a grim picture. One witness revealed that Kelly Smith had confessed to selling her daughter to a traditional healer—referred to locally as a sangoma—for 20,000 rand (approximately $1,100), allegedly because of the girl’s “eyes and skin.” Though this claim couldn’t be fully verified in court, it added chilling context to the motive behind the crime.
Presiding Judge Nathan Erasmus did not mince words in his judgment. “The conduct of Ms Smith is not that of a concerned parent. And why not? In my mind the only inference is that you knew what happened,” he stated, highlighting the glaring inconsistencies in her behavior during the search efforts and investigation.
Despite the witness accounts, the court could not confirm who exactly Joshlin was sold to or why, further clouding the final fate of the little girl. However, the court found sufficient evidence to convict all three on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking under South African law.
The case has sparked national outrage and deepened public scrutiny of child protection laws and enforcement in the country. Rights groups are now pushing for stronger oversight, especially in vulnerable communities where poverty and superstition often intersect with criminal exploitation.
All three convicts have been remanded in custody and are awaiting sentencing. As the nation reels from the horror of a mother selling her own child, Joshlin’s whereabouts remain unknown—leaving a haunting silence where justice still feels incomplete.
