Police following new leads in missing Joshlin Smith’s case

Western Cape police say they’ve received and on Friday pursued information in the Middelpos informal settlement at Saldanha Bay on the West Coast as part of their continuous investigation into the disappearance of 7-year-old Joshlin Smith

Joshlin was six years old when she disappeared from her home in February last year. Kelly Smith the missing child’s mother, Steveno van Rhyn and Jacquen Appollis are currently serving life sentences on charges of human trafficking and 10 years for kidnapping.

A leave to appeal their sentence application was brought by the accused and will be heard in the High Court in Cape Town next month.

Police spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, says detectives with K-9 members have scoured an identified area in Saldanha Bay. “We are continuing to follow up leads to find the child. The appeal matter has been set down for the 12-th and 13-th of August and the issue of a section 204 state witness will also be dealt with.”

The police have made a humble plea is hereby made that the search teams be afforded space to perform their duties as the investigation continues.

#sapsWC [JOSLIN SMITH INVESTIGATION]
Western Cape police descended on Middelpos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay on Friday afternoon pursuing emerging information as part of the investigation into the disappearance of seven-year-old Joshlin Smith.

As SAPS previously stated,… pic.twitter.com/WxPRzajySU

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) July 26, 2025