Residents concerned about how Saldanha Bay police is handling Joshlin Smith's disappearance

CAPE TOWN - There are concerns over the manner in which Saldanha Bay police are handling the case of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith, as the search for the Grade one pupil continued on Thursday.

Police had to use stun grenades and tear gas to disperse an angry crowd outside the Vredenburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Later in the same court, Joshlin's mother Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jaquin Appollis and Steveno Van Rhyn later appeared on charges of kidnapping and human trafficking related to the little girl's disappearance.  

Residents involved in the chaos expressed dismay at the handling of the case and the court’s decision not to allow certain members of the Patriotic Alliance to film court proceedings.

GBV Activist Reverend June Major, who was at court called out the Saldanha Bay police for ignoring information she shared with them about Joshlin's disappearance.

Major said she joined the search for Joshlin a week after the six-year-old girl disappeared from her family home in Middelpos on 19 February.

"During the search I met quite a few people which also led me to Steveno, I actually went to his house and as he saw us coming he ran. We contacted the then investigating officer . I had a lengthy conversation with the I.O.I was very disappointed because nothing that I said actually went forward."

Major adds that she also shared other information about human trafficking being involved in Joshlin's disappearance.

"I also told this to the I.O.who just brushed it off and said those things don't happen in Saldanha. So from the start I was very disturbed that he did not show sufficient interest in the case."

Police say they are now following up new leads on the whereabouts of Joshlin, who has been missing for 24 days.