Convicted mother Kelly Smith continues to insist that she had nothing to do with the disappearance of her six-year-old daughter, Joshlin, according to activist Reverend June Dolley-Major.
Dolley-Major recently visited Smith at the Worcester Women’s Correctional Facility after Smith contacted her and asked her to pray with her and give her Holy Communion. The visit took place three weeks ago and offered a rare look into Smith’s life behind bars as unanswered questions remain about what happened to Joshlin.
The young girl disappeared from Middelpos in Saldanha Bay on 19 February 2024. Despite an extensive search involving police, search-and-rescue teams and community volunteers, Joshlin has never been found.
She was last seen shortly after 5pm on the day she went missing. At the time, she was a Grade 1 learner at Diazville Primary School.
Smith, together with Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, was later convicted of kidnapping and human trafficking in connection with Joshlin’s disappearance. The three were sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, the child’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Smith Maintains Her Innocence
Dolley-Major said Smith appeared to be in good spirits during the visit and repeatedly asked about her other children, whom she has not seen for some time.
Despite the conviction and life sentence, Smith continues to maintain that she played no role in Joshlin’s disappearance.
The activist said Smith’s daily routine at the correctional facility now includes Bible study, sewing and modelling programmes. These activities form part of her life in prison as she serves her sentence.
Dolley-Major said the two women also spoke about the unanswered questions surrounding Joshlin’s disappearance and what she described as inconsistencies in Smith’s different versions of events.
Their discussions allegedly included changing narratives involving Smith’s co-accused, as well as questions about evidence that was reportedly recovered during searches linked to the investigation.
The case has continued to attract public attention because Joshlin has not been found, even after the convictions. Police have previously said the investigation remains ongoing.
Tension Between Co-Accused Alleged
Dolley-Major also said Appollis and Van Rhyn had fought over Joshlin and had since been separated.
She believes the alleged incident may point to increasing tension between the two convicted men. The exact circumstances surrounding the alleged fight were not provided.
The relationship between the co-accused has been closely watched because the three were convicted in the same case, while questions about their individual roles have remained part of public discussion.
Dolley-Major said the unanswered issues included what happened on the day Joshlin disappeared, the different accounts linked to the accused and the evidence gathered during searches.
The activist has called for all relevant evidence to be examined properly and for investigators to provide clarity about the forensic work carried out during the case.
Questions About Possible Burial Site
Searchers have also raised questions about items they claim were discovered at a possible burial site beneath concrete slabs.
According to the claims shared by Dolley-Major, the area was later treated with industrial acid. These claims have not been independently verified.
The alleged items reportedly included rope with what appeared to be blood, part of a mattress that allegedly attracted cadaver dogs, clothing believed to have belonged to Smith and plastic bags said to have had a strong smell.
Dolley-Major further claims that two of the bags tested positive for Joshlin’s DNA before being handed over to the Saldanha Bay South African Police Service.
The claims about the bags, the DNA testing and the other alleged items have not been independently verified. It is also not clear from the available information what formal forensic findings were made from the material or whether the items were conclusively linked to Joshlin.
Dolley-Major said she had repeatedly asked former Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile about the forensic testing.
She also said private sponsors were willing to assist by paying for earthmoving equipment, cadaver dogs and specialised testing.
“Evidence must be properly examined,” Dolley-Major said.
The activist believes further examination of the alleged evidence could help answer questions that have remained unresolved since Joshlin vanished.
Birthday Could Bring New Clarity
Joshlin’s birthday on 20 October could provide an opportunity for police to give an update about the forensic evidence, Dolley-Major said.
The child’s disappearance has left her family and the wider community without answers. While Smith, Appollis and Van Rhyn are serving life sentences, the most important question remains unanswered: where is Joshlin?
The convictions established the court’s findings in relation to the kidnapping and human trafficking charges. However, Joshlin’s body has not been recovered, and police have continued investigating the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
Dolley-Major said the public deserves clarity about the evidence that was reportedly collected during searches and the results of any forensic testing.
The reported willingness of private sponsors to fund additional searches and specialist work could provide further resources, should the authorities accept or approve such assistance.
The disappearance has remained one of the Western Cape’s most closely followed missing-child cases. Search teams previously scoured areas around Saldanha Bay, while police and community members worked to find any trace of the child.
Joshlin was described as green-eyed and was still very young when she vanished. More than two years later, her family is still waiting for answers.
The case has also raised difficult questions about how evidence was handled, whether all possible search locations were fully examined and whether information from witnesses and convicted suspects has been properly followed up. Dolley-Major’s account has brought renewed attention to those issues, but the claims about the alleged burial site, the bags and the DNA results still require confirmation from investigators and forensic experts.
The South African Police Service has been approached for comment.
Until Joshlin is found, the case will remain unfinished for her family and the community that has searched for her. The convictions may have brought a legal outcome, but they have not brought the answer everyone is still waiting for.
