Kelly Smith, Joshlin's mother, sobs during her former employer Carlin Zeegers' testimony.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Despite describing her as a drug user who had been to rehab three times, witnesses said she was a good mother to her children.
This emerged as more witnesses took the stand in the trial of missing Joshlin Smith at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, Saldanha Bay on Monday.
The three accused Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and Steven ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn appeared at the half-empty court, where they face kidnapping and human trafficking charges.
The trio was arrested weeks after Joshlin went missing on 19 February, 2024.
She had been in the care of her mother Kelly’s boyfriend Appollis.
On Wednesday Detective Constable Refilwe Sekhobe said that during an interview with Appollis, it emerged that Laurentia Lombaard had been smoking drugs with them on the day the child went missing.
Lombaard was charged with the trio but the charges were dropped and she had since turned State witness.
Another witness, Kelly’s neighbour, Namhla Tinzi, told the court that she had just returned from work when she found out about Joshlin’s disappearance.
Kelly called her as she was preparing supper in her Middelpos home and asked if she had not seen her daughter.
She was the first person who helped Kelly look for her missing child.
“I told her I had not seen her and helped her look for Joshlin. I spent about five hours with her and went home before load shedding, which was scheduled for 10pm.
“At the time she was with the police, so I left with Kelly’s children to my place. I called Kelly in the morning to find out if she found Joshlin but my call was unanswered.”
Tinzi said she didn’t help search for Joshlin again because she had to work.
The third witness, Natasha Andrews, revealed after observing Joshlin’s living conditions, she wanted to adopt her.
“I was in the process of adopting Joshlin. We couldn’t proceed because the parents wouldn’t agree.
"I went with Kelly to social workers in Saldanha Bay but we couldn’t continue because of Jose and Kelly. She was still a baby in 2018.
“When Joshlin was still young she lived with me and the eldest lived with her family. There wasn’t a specific time that she stayed with me; it would be weekends, and anytime," Andrews said.
She said the last time Joshlin stayed with her was during the December 2023 holidays.
“I wanted to adopt her when I noticed that her parents were always fighting and also her mother was on drugs, the child was not taken care of. I also wanted to include Joshlin in my policy so that if anything happened to me, there would be funds for her.”
Andrews said she was devastated to hear that Joshlin was missing.
“Kelly came to my house on 19 February at about 8pm and then returned around 1am the following morning to ask for Joshlin’s pictures.
“I went to search for the child, Kelly was only part of the search on one occasion.”
Carlien Zeegers testifies at the Joshlin Smith kidnapping trial.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
The last witness of the day Carlien Zeegers said she felt sorry for Kelly and she helped her with food and money.
“I felt sorry for Kelly, and I could see what she was going through, I am also a mother. Even though she was going through a difficult time, she was a good mother to her children.
“She was a domestic worker for both my daughter and me. She worked with me temporarily. She would come to me everyday and I would give her and the children food.”
She said on the morning of Joshlin’s disappearance, Kelly arrived at her house with her youngest daughter, Rochelle.
“That morning she came early and I asked her where the other two children were, and she said they were not feeling well, they didn’t go to school.
“She went to drop Rochelle at the nearest creche and she later returned and fetched my daughter’s key to clean her house.
“Before she went home she asked me to lend her R200 because she did not want to light a fire outside. When she went home after 12pm I gave her R50, she then came back before 5pm and then I gave her R150 and told her to go and fill up the gas cylinder.”
Kelly sobbed as she heard Zeeger’s testimony and the court was adjourned for a few minutes so she could compose herself.
Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn and Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith are on trial for kidnapping and human trafficking in connection with the disappearance of Joshlin Smith last year.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
The trial continues on Tuesday morning. Appollis and Van Rhyn remain in custody in Malmesbury while Kelly is housed at Langebaan police station.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za