Still no trace of Joshlin Smith one year after her disappearance
While a kidnapping and human trafficking case involving Joshlin's mother and two co-accused plays out in the Western Cape High Court, the Saldanha Bay community still hopes the child can be found alive.
FILE: Community members gathered outside the Vredenburg Magistrates court on 15 July 2024 as missing Joshlin Smith's mother and three others accused of being involved in her disappearance made another appearance. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
CAPE TOWN - Exactly one year to the day since six-year-old Joshlin Smith disappeared from her Middelpos home in Saldanha Bay, there's still no trace of the little girl.
While a kidnapping and human trafficking case involving Joshlin's mother and two co-accused plays out in the Western Cape High Court, the Saldanha Bay community still hopes the child can be found alive.
West Coast resident and founder of NPO Pay it Forward, Greg Clifton, has been actively involved in the search for Joshlin Smith since she disappeared one year ago.
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"Initially there were huge searches by community, people outside of the community, the police, political parties with nothing being found."
Clifton said that the people of Saldanha Bay were still seeking answers for closure on Joshlin's disappearance.
"Now there are people within Saldanha who believe her remains need to be recovered and then there are people, including us as an NPO, who believe we need to find and continue to search for a live child."
Clifton said that while the search continued, things had returned to normal in Saldanha Bay.