[Photo: Swisherpost]

Amidst the ongoing search for six-year-old Joshlin Smith from Saldana Bay in the Western Cape, troubling allegations of human trafficking have emerged, casting a grim shadow over the disappearance.

The young girl, missing for nearly four weeks now since 19 February 2024, has prompted a court appearance by her mother, her boyfriend, and another individual amidst claims that she was sold for a mere R20- thousand.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance Leader Gayton McKenzie’s involvement has stirred controversy, labelled as “morally corrupt” by some for offering a staggering R100-thousand reward for Joshlin’s safe return and providing support to her mother, Kelly Smith, now a suspect in the criminal case.

Missing Children South Africa’s Case officer, Bianca van Aswegen, shared insight on the matter with Radio Islam. “This is a terrible case of, once again, a child who has gone missing in South Africa, and it should not be political or social-media orientated. The political parties involved in this case have never been involved with other cases of missing children. This is disheartening and shocking knowing there are ulterior motives behind this rather than focusing on the problem, which is the child missing,” she said.

Aswegen said that the circumstances of how she went missing are not unique, as they’ve seen in so many cases where children go missing from their homes under the people who are supposed to take care of them. “Safety starts in our community. In Joshlin’s case, we see fingers being pointed towards the police and organisations, but that is not where the problem lies. People need to realise the police and organisations are not the ones that need to keep their children safe. Safety starts at home and within the community,” she added.

Aswegen emphasised the crucial importance of reporting a missing child or person immediately. Unlike in some other countries, South Africa has no 24-hour waiting period to file a missing person case report. Aswegen stressed that the first 24 to 48 hours are absolutely crucial in such cases, highlighting the urgency of prompt action and notification to authorities.

Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the community over the weekend, urging an end to the blame game in the search for missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith.

The DA in the Western Cape accused Cele of withdrawing SAPS resources from the search, but Cele denied this accusation, stating that resources had not been pulled and criticising the DA for politicising the issue.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen condemned the PA’s actions, citing instances of interference and politicisation, including damaging a local business and attempting to take over SAPS responsibilities.

Despite the efforts and the unfolding drama, the whereabouts of the little girl remain unknown, leaving the community in deep concern and uncertainty.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Bianca van Aswegen, case officer at Missing Children South Africa, here.