Kelly Smith refused to go to a shelter after daughter Joshlin's disappearance, court told
Social worker, Siliziwe Mbambo, told the court how she made various efforts to get Kelly Smith into a shelter after Joshlin went missing.
Kelly Smith (right), Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn listen to testimony in the Western Cape High Court sitting at the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre on 11 March 2025. Picture: Carlo Petersen/EWN
SALDANHA BAY - A social worker said that missing girl Joshlin Smith's mother, Kelly Smith, refused to book herself into a place of safety after her daughter's disappearance.
Smith, Jacquen Appollis and Stevano van Rhyn are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking related to the disappearance of Joshlin Smith.
The accused are on trial in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Saldanha Bay Multi-Purpose Centre.
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Social worker, Siliziwe Mbambo, told the court how she made various efforts to get Kelly Smith into a shelter after Joshlin went missing.
Mbambo said that after Joshlin's disappearance, she went looking for Smith to book her into a place of safety but Smith was nowhere to be found.
She said she later found out Smith was with prominent politician, Gayton McKenzie, in Cape Town at the time.
Mbambo said that when Smith returned, she indicated she did not want to go to a shelter because she wanted to be part of the search for Joshlin.
Mbambo told the court after Smith refused to book herself in, the department of social development managed to get Smith's other two children into foster care.