Joshlin trial hears that Kelly Smith was a good mother

At least two state witnesses have described Kelly Smith as a good mother to her children.

This as the trial into the disappearance of Joshlin Smith enters its second week.

A detective from the police’s FCS Unit, a neighbour of Kelly Smith, and a woman who wanted to adopt Joshlin Smith were among the state witnesses called in the Western Cape High Court sitting in Saldanha.

Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn are facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking.

She broke down in tears as she became overwhelmed with emotion when a state witnesses described her as being a good mother to her children.

Carlin Zeegers, a woman for whom Kelly worked as a domestic worker from time to time told the court that Kelly came to her every day for help due to her circumstances.

Zeegers would give Kelly and her children food and paid her when she helped with housework.

“Kelly has very lovable children and she raised her children very well. I felt sorry for her and I saw what she was going through, I’m a mother too. In her weakness she was a good mother to her children. I’m so sorry I can’t say what happened [to Joshlin] but that’s all that I know and I just reached out to them.”

Natasha Andrews, who knew Kelly for about twenty years and who had wanted to adopt Joshlin has testified that Kelly had a good relationship with her children and was a good mother to them.

She earlier testified she had wanted to adopt Joshlin because her circumstances were better than Kelly’s.

Andrews told the court how Kelly came to her house on the evening of the child’s disappearance to look for her.

“Kelly came back in the early hours of the morning of the 20th of February just before 1am, to fetch a photo of Joshlin. The evening of the 19th there was load shedding from 10pm until about midnight.”

A witness who cannot be named has testified about how she helped Kelly look for Joshlin on the night she disappeared.

She says Kelly was crying while they were en route to Diazville, to Andrews’ home to look for the child, but was not crying when they got back to continue searching in Middelpos.

The trial continues on Tuesday.