Police said the search for missing 6-year-old Joshlin Smith continues, despite community speculation that the SAPS was “not following up leads”.
Recently, the search for Joshlin had reached international shores and this week police had again returned to the Middelpos community in Saldanha amid their investigation.
According to reports, this week, the community clashed with authorities as they believed police were unresponsive to information shared with them.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie, however, said Public Order Police were deployed to the area on Wednesday to conduct a search.
“The investigating team are still pursuing all leads to trace missing Joshlin Smith.
“The presence of POP members in Saldanha was merely to protect the outer perimeter to allow the investigation team to conduct a search based on information received.
“Their presence was a precautionary proactive step based on the volatile situation in the town, due to the disappearance of Joshlin. Unfortunately, no positive result was achieved. The investigation continues,” said Pojie.
Community activist and founder of Hashtag SA Unite, Ashley Rix, said that on Tuesday night there was “a flurry of activity as the community received leads suggesting sightings of Joshlin”.
“Despite attempts to reach the investigating officer, all efforts proved futile, raising questions about the status of the case.
“As tensions mounted, some community members took matters into their own hands and attempted to follow the suggested lead. Tragically, this escalated into the burning down of a shack, reportedly belonging to Kelly,” wrote Rix.
Recently, Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed they were working with Interpol in the search for Joshlin.
The four accused, Joshlin’s mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin Appolis, 31, Steveno van Rhyn, 27, and Lourentia Lombard, 32, will appear in the Vredendal Magistrate’s Court on May 13 again.
They face charges of kidnapping and trafficking after Joshlin disappeared form her parent’s home on February 19.
In a recent eNCA interview, Cele said: “It is a sore story that we can’t find this child but there are people who are arrested. It does not look like they are pointing us in the right direction – that includes the mother.
“We are working with other agencies ... one ship in one city was searched in Europe for two-and-a half days, trying to find her.
“We are also trying to find other cities where the ship might have docked, and to go and check all over,” said Cele.
Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860 010111 or use the MySaps app.
Cape Times