Joshlin Smith case: WMACA calls for additional arrests
Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) has welcomed the life sentences handed down to Kelly Smith and her co-accused in the harrowing case of six-year-old Joshlin Smith's disappearance.
The case has become a chilling symbol of the ongoing crisis of child trafficking in South Africa.
Joshlin Smith vanished and was reportedly sold for R20 000. The court found that Smith, along with two co-accused, conspired in the sale of the child.
ALSO READ: You have a legal obligation to report child abuse – State Advocate
While WMACA expresses satisfaction with the outcome of the trial, they firmly believe that more individuals were involved who have yet to face justice.
'There was a middleman, and there was a client. Someone wanted something from this child, and we still don't know who they are,' WMACA said. 'There are people who were nearby, who saw or heard things. Too many loose ends remain.'
WMACA is calling on those convicted to come forward with the full truth now. With nothing left to lose, they urge the guilty to reveal the identities of any additional accomplices.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case, according to WMACA, is the involvement of Joshlin's mother.
'How does a mother even begin a conversation about selling her child? And how does that conversation lead to a buyer, whether for the entire child or body parts? It's diabolical.'
ALSO READ: Bertha Gxowa creates awareness on child abuse
Despite the absence of Joshlin's body, WMACA holds the convicted trio fully responsible for her disappearance, whether she is ultimately found alive or dead.
'Nothing less than a life sentence would have been acceptable,' the organisation stated.
WMACA acknowledges and praises Judge Erasmus for delivering a sentence that sends a strong message.
The organisation mourns that it took such a tragic and horrific case to bring attention to the horrors of child trafficking.
'Justice was served in court, but for Joshlin and countless other children who disappear without a trace, we may never know the full truth. We only wish that a little girl had not met such a gruesome fate for the world to take notice.'
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
8 hours ago
- The Citizen
Mediclinic's employees' data compromised. Investigations underway
The information reportedly includes employees' salaries, disciplinary hearings, and others. Prominent hospital group Mediclinic is investigating a cyberattack that exposed the personal information of its employees. The information reportedly includes employees' salaries, disciplinary hearings, and others. Mediclinic currently operates 50 hospitals, 15 day clinics, five sub-acute and six mental health facilities throughout South Africa, as well as three private hospitals in Namibia, with more than 8 945 beds. Mediclinic Investigates The private hospital group confirmed to The Citizen that its third-party IT service provider experienced a cybersecurity incident. 'Upon learning of this incident, Mediclinic engaged the third-party IT service provider, who reported that it immediately took steps to ensure the containment of the incident, including immediately isolating the affected system, resetting access credentials, and working with external specialists in an incident response investigation.' After following certain procedures, it was determined that the data impacted is limited to employment-related data. The hospital has taken appropriate steps to contact those whose data they believe may have been impacted by the incident, in accordance with data protection guidelines. ALSO READ: Cybersecurity breach costs Astral R20 million in profit No patient data stolen at Mediclinic Mediclinic stated that it is confident no patient data has been compromised, and it did not experience any disruption to its business operations. 'Since the incident, we have and continue to implement further measures to enhance security safeguards in relation to our third-party vendors. 'Mediclinic reported the incident to the appropriate regulators in each of our operating markets, and we continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities as needed.' Other cyberattacks MyBroadband reported that the group responsible for the cyberattack is Everest Group. The group has launched cyberattacks in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. It reportedly launched a cyberattack against Coca-Cola, during which it stole records associated with hundreds of employees, including their personally identifiable information (PII), such as names and addresses, salary records, and scans of passports and visas. NOW READ: AI job takeover begins: Mediclinic replaces admin staff to save R2 billion
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
What happened to the maternal love?
On May 11th, South Africa took a moment to celebrate and remember mothers, acknowledging the comfort, care, and boundless love that mothers embody. Those fortunate enough to have experienced this special maternal love should indeed treasure those memories. However, the recent news surrounding two deeply disturbing cases stands in stark contrast to this sentiment. A six-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy became victims in profoundly troubling ways. Keneilwe Shalaba, the mother of the two-year-old, Kutlwano, appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court this week, accused of selling her son for R75 000. Tragically, Kutlwano, who had been missing since November of last year despite extensive searches, was found dead last week. A traditional healer is also expected to be implicated in this heartbreaking case. Adding to this sorrow is the case of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who disappeared from her Saldanha Bay home on February 19, 2024. The court revealed that Joshlin was reportedly sold for R20 000. Her mother, Racquel ''Kelly'' Smith, along with her boyfriend and a family acquaintance, were found guilty in the Western Cape High Court and received life sentences. While justice may have been served in this instance, Joshlin herself remains missing. These cases, along with the countless others where children have suffered such fates at the hands of their mothers, are deeply distressing. While some commentators attribute these acts to poverty, it's important to remember the countless mothers who make immense sacrifices to provide for their children, working tirelessly in difficult conditions to ensure their well-being. We heard stories of mothers who sell toasted corn by the street corner to support their kids; and mothers walk the streets in the blazing sun, selling tripe, just to make sure that their children don't go to bed on an empty stomach. Ultimately, it seems that greed, with money as the driving force, lies at the heart of these unthinkable crimes.
TimesLIVE
12 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Vusi Matlala drops bail bid in attempted murder case, wife out on R20k
Businessman Vusimuzi Matlala will remain in prison before his trial for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend Tebogo Thobejane, after he dropped a bail bid on Tuesday. His wife Tsakani, who was arrested last week on charges of being an accessory after the fact and money laundering, was granted R20,000 bail by the Alexandra magistrate's court. The court heard the state and defence teams had reached common ground on her release pending trial, due to her not being a flight risk and personal circumstances including that she has young children. The court imposed strict conditions on her, including that: she hand over her passport; does not leave Gauteng; and does not make contact with the Phoko Funeral Parlour or any family member of the co-accused. The case was postponed to July 11 for a transfer to the high court. According to the provisional charge sheet, Vusi Matlala and alleged hitmen Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Musa Kekana face charges related to conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder. Thobejane's car was shot at by gunmen in October 2023 in Sandton. She escaped injury but a friend who was with her was badly wounded and was in hospital for more than a month. TimesLIVE
