'Satanic' Joshlin Smith case: Let’s find the child and stop with the politics, says Cele

Hundreds of people turned up outside the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court last week baying for the blood of those involved in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith. Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers

Hundreds of people turned up outside the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court last week baying for the blood of those involved in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith. Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers

Published Mar 13, 2024

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Cape Town - As the suspects charged with the kidnapping of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith were expected to make their second court appearance on Wednesday, Police Minister Bheki Cele said young girls in the Western Cape were at constant risk of violent attacks.

Joshlin disappeared two days after 15-year-old Ongeziwe Kamlana was reported missing in Gugulethu on February 17.

Ongeziwe’s charred remains were found in a burnt shack in Kuils River the following day. She had been burnt beyond recognition and DNA testing had to be used for identification.

Her alleged killer is out on R1 000 bail.

Ongeziwe Kamlana, 17, from Gugulethu has been missing since Saturday, February 17. Photo: supplied

Smith disappeared from her Saldanha Bay home in Diazville on February 19.

Her mother, Kelly, Jacquen Appollis, Stevano van Rhyn, and Phumza Sigaqa were arrested for human trafficking and kidnapping, and were expected to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court today.

Cele said Smith’s disappearance put the Western Cape on the map.

“We are still chasing the luck of finding Joshlin. What is very sad is that the people arrested should have protected the child. This tells you that there is something satanic, something that is not correct. Let’s find the child and stop with the politics.”

Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and an alleged sangoma, Phumza Sigaqa made a brief court appearance on Thursday and were formally charged. Picture: Patrick Louw/Independent Newspapers

Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said they were expecting the DNA results of the bloody clothes that were collected almost two weeks ago during the search for Joshlin.

“Depending on what we find from the forensic laboratory, if it needs further investigation, we will not make the results public.”

Cele also confirmed that someone was arrested for Ongeziwe’s murder, saying the suspect would appear in court again next month.

The Ministry of Police and the SAPS management with Minister Bheki Cele visited family of Ongeziwe Kamlana of Gugulethu. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
“We hope there will be an explanation about the incident. It looks like Western Cape women are not protected from violence,” he said.

During a visit to Ongeziwe’s family yesterday, Cele was told the family had no money to bury the teen.

Her aunt, Fundiswa Tibisono, said: “We are still very heartbroken about the murder. We lost her on February 18, and it has now been three weeks since her body is in the morgue and we would like to bury her but we don’t have money to do that.”

Cele called on Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu for assistance.

The Ministry of Police and the SAPS management with Minister Bheki Cele visited family of Ongeziwe Kamlana of Gugulethu. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
The Ministry of Police and the SAPS management with Minister Bheki Cele visited family of Ongeziwe Kamlana of Gugulethu. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za

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