Saldanha Bay residents disappointed with local police effort in search for missing Joshlin Smith
A resident from the area said local police were available during the first three days of the search, and after that 'were never in the midst of the community'. However, WC police commissioner Patekile has assured residents the six-year-old girl is their top priority.
Residents around Middelpos in the Northern Cape gather on 27 February 2024 to search for six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who went missing eight days ago. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - Residents of Saldanha Bay along the Cape West Coast have expressed dismay at local police for what they call the lack of involvement in the search for missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith.
A small group of residents from various areas in Saldanha Bay continued to search for the missing girl in an area close to her home in Middelpos this week.
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Candice Africa, a resident from the area who was part of the ongoing search for Joshlin on Friday said the community is disappointed in the police.
"The police, they gave us their service the first three days. That was Saldanha Bay's police, but as from that time they were just never in the midst of the community," said Africa.
However, Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile has assured the public that they have prioritised finding Joshlin.
"As the investigation leads us, we follow the leads. If there are more people to be arrested, if the investigation leads us to that, we shall do so because at this stage we do not have the child. Our ultimate goal is to find the child."
By Saturday, Joshlin had been missing for 19 days.
Joshlin was left in the care of her mother Kelly Smith's boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis.
Smith and Appollis, along with two other suspects, appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court where they were charged with kidnapping and human trafficking related to Joshlin's disappearance.
Saldanha Bay councillor Vernon Vraagom said the community hopes the arrests will result in Joshlin being found.
"The community feels good about them being behind bars. Hopefully, they will talk, and we will hear the full story, but our main concern is Joshlin, where is Joshlin?”