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Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
South African woman gets a life sentence for selling
A judge in South Africa sentenced a woman to life in prison Thursday after she was convicted of selling her 6-year-old daughter, who is still missing, in a case that has captivated and horrified South Africans. The woman, Racquel Smith, 35, sat stoically as the judge handed down the sentence after a three-month trial in a town on South Africa's west coast. The mother and two men were found guilty earlier this month of kidnapping and trafficking her eldest child, Joshlin Smith, for exploitation. 'The accused did not show remorse,' the judge, Nathan Erasmus, said Thursday, adding that up until the eve of sentencing, the mother 'still lied.' The two men were also sentenced Thursday to life in prison, the minimum penalty for kidnapping and enslavement of children in South Africa. The girl disappeared in February 2024 from a shack she shared with her mother, two siblings, and her mother's boyfriend in the seaside town of Saldanha Bay, on the country's west coast. The police, naval officers and members of the community combed the town, but the girl was never found. A photograph of the girl was plastered all over town, and then on national news outlets. Two weeks into the search, the police arrested her mother; her mother's boyfriend, Jacquin Appollis; and a friend of the couple, Steveno van Rhyn. Prosecutors said the mother was addicted to drugs and had sold the girl for 20,000 rand, about $1,100. Public interest in the case was so high that court proceedings were held in a community center in Saldanha Bay and broadcast on national television. During the trial, the mother and the two other suspects declined to testify. On May 2, when they were convicted, a judge ruled the girl had been sold into slavery. Prosecutors argued for a life sentence, urging the judge to consider that the child was still missing. 'We do not have her, we do not know where she is, but that is why the state has provided evidence to give her a voice, as she is not in court,' Eric Ntabazalila, a spokesperson for South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority, said in a statement. Many questions about the case persist. But Smith has steadfastly declined to divulge any information about her daughter's disappearance, even after the pleas of the girl's paternal grandmother, Rita Yon. Joshlin's two younger siblings often asked after their sister, Yon said. 'We are still missing Joshlin,' Yon told the TV channel Newzroom Afrika after the sentencing on Thursday. 'It doesn't feel nice not knowing where she is, what she eats or drinks, and how the people who have her treat her.' This article originally appeared in
The South African
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
'Please come back dad': Thabiso mourns Presley Chweneyagae
Thabiso Ramotshela, known for his roles in The River, Youngins , and Blood Legacy , has shared an emotional tribute to his on-screen father, Presley Chweneyagae. The legendary River actor passed away on Tuesday morning at age 40 due to breathing complications. Thabiso, visibly shaken by the loss, took to social media to express his heartbreak. Presley portrayed his father on The River , and they shared a strong bond even beyond the workplace. In a touching Instagram post, Thabiso shared behind-the-scenes clips of their time on set, accompanied by a heartfelt caption. 'Please come back, Dad,' he captioned the post. In a separate TikTok post, the actor shared more of his heartbreak and expressed how deeply he cared for him. 'I don't even know where to start. Goodbye pops. I love you and will see you soon,' he wrote. The passing of Presley has left many devastated. According to the family spokesperson, the Tsotsi star died of natural causes, and there was no foul play involved. 'We want to put the record straight that it was a natural death as far as we are concerned. He had a complication in relation to breathing. Paramedics were called at home, and he was attended to. We appreciate the professional nature of the paramedics.' Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday evening, Mzwakhe said the actor had never experienced health issues before, and his sudden passing came as a shock to them. 'We spent time with him yesterday (Monday), and there were no signs that something like this could happen. However, we don't want to speculate; we want to allow all the necessary procedures and protocols to take their course.' 'It's safe to say he never struggled; he had always been a healthy person and was doing well. We were with him on Monday, so this is quite shocking,' he said. WHICH ICONIC CHARACTER PLAYED BY PRESLEY IS YOUR FAVOURITE? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Aleck Skhosana and James Moloi in two-horse race for Athletics SA president despite poor records
It will be a showdown between the incumbent Athletics SA president James Moloi and the man he defeated four years ago – Aleck Skhosana – during the federation's election on Saturday. The battle for the top seat within Athletics South Africa (ASA) is set to be a two-horse race between current president James Moloi and the man he ousted to gain the seat in 2021 – Aleck Skhosana. These are two men that have less than stellar administration records and have presided over embarrassing messes in athletics in the past. Under Skhosana's presidency, KZN Athletics went bankrupt in 2011. Allegations of fraud, corruption and mismanagement led to the board being removed in 2012, with millions of rands said to have been plundered by the federation's employees before the rot was exposed. Skhosana was later cleared of any direct wrongdoing. However, that aspect of his 12-year spell as KZN Athletics boss continues to follow him – with some remaining suspicious of him. Under Moloi, the ASA was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). The deregistration in February 2025 was a result of the ASA failing to file its annual returns and pay its company fees, despite numerous reminders from the CIPC to comply. When the CIPC notified the ASA that it had been deregistered, it was because the athletics body had last filed its returns in 2021, when James Moloi became its president. Despite the gravity of the matter and the bad light in which it put the ASA, management sought to downplay the issue, with Moloi calling it a 'minor problem'. Moloi's administration pointed the finger towards Skhosana's leadership for the deregistration blunder. However, Moloi's rival is having none of it. On why he felt the need to return to the ASA, Skhosana said that he wants to replenish the ASA's public image – which has taken a blow in recent months due to some administrative ineptitude under Moloi. '[I want] to restore the image and integrity of Athletics South Africa. You saw in April in Parliament, where the sports portfolio committee declared the ASA as an embarrassment, a disgrace and a mess,' Skhosana said on Newzroom Afrika. 'So, we cannot be able to sit back and watch whilst we are capable of adding value. We once participated and we once resolved these problems in the past. I want to make South African athletics bigger and better. To restore corporate governance,' the presidency hopeful added. For Moloi, the deregistration debacle is a major blemish on his four-year tenure as the ASA boss. However, it has since been resolved. But these blemishes do not inspire any confidence. Others Moloi cut a proud fatherly figure recently as Team SA returned from the World Relays. The South Africans claimed two gold medals and a bronze at the global tournament. Despite the aforementioned administrative struggles, South Africans athletics is clearly in a healthy state currently. Whoever takes over the reins will be expected to further improve on this solid foundation instead of undoing it or stagnating it. Although others, such as Moloi's vice-president Shireen Noble, have raised their hands for the top job as well – when the ASA's quadrennial general meeting takes place on Saturday, 31 May, it is expected to be a tightly-fought contest between Skhosana and Moloi. In addition to the two favourites and Noble, Harold Adams is also in the running. John Mathane was part of the candidates list, but he has since pulled out. Mathane remains in the running for the deputy president position though. He is alongside Noble, Adams, KZN Athletics president Steve Mkasi, as well as Karabo Mabilo and Sticks Stiglingh in the race for the ASA lieutenant. Skhosana's unfinished business Skhosana first became the big boss of South African athletics in 2014. He was installed after the intervention of World Athletics following a protracted internal battle involving the executive of then president James Evans, as well as an interim board led by Sello Mokoena. The interim board had surfaced after the impeachment of Evans for allegedly using the ASA's funds for his own benefit. Evans denied this, but the intervention of World Athletics resulted in the federation convening for a special general meeting. This is when Skhosana and a new board were elected. However, they could only serve for two years since Evans had vacated his role prematurely. When that short term ended, Skhosana was re-elected – this time to serve a full term. Considering some of the cleaning up he did upon replacing Evans, Skhosana knows how to lead. But him throwing his name into the hat for re-election four years after being ousted raises the question of whether there aren't any new faces who harbour ambitions of leading such a federation. Recycled administrators For all its 'against all odds' victories on the global stage – South African sports sometimes find themselves recycling the same old faces when it comes to administrators. However, Skhosana says his desire to become the ASA president for the third time is within the constitutional parameters of the national athletics body. He also highlights some of his accomplishments during his six-year tenure. This includes being deliberate about sending South African athletes to international competitions between Olympic Games, something which did not happen as often prior to Skhosana's ascension to power. Under the KZN-born administrator talents such as Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk thrived. How much they thrived because of the ASA's leadership, or in spite of it, is debatable. Moloi, who established training camps for the athletes during his term, has promised to continue implementing similar strategic projects should he be reinstated. 'I want to go for the second term because I didn't finish my plans. So, the second term is for the implementation of whatever plans I've got and to bring in [sponsors],' Moloi told SABC Sport. 'I've been negotiating with different companies to sponsor Athletics South Africa. But if you leave or you are not there, they are not going to come because now, they are relying on you. 'So, it will be an advantage for Athletics South Africa if I can go back for the second time and implement whatever plans that I've got,' the former Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) president added. Ahead of the elections, there has been some controversy. The CGA and Athletics Free State have both pulled their nomination lists for the various positions set to be contested on Saturday. The councils of the federations say the lists were not properly vetted prior to submission. In anticipation of possible skirmishes between the various camps, Moloi wrote to the South African Police Service on 23 May, asking for 'increased police visibility' and hoping this will 'help maintain order and promote a sense of safety throughout the duration of the event'. DM
Metro
4 days ago
- Metro
Girl, 8, missing after mum sold her for her ‘light eyes and skin' for £800
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A mother who sold her young daughter to a rogue healer for her eyes and skin has been jailed for life. The disappearance of Joshlin Smith, 6, has shocked South Africa after it emerged her mum, Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, had sold the little girl to a traditional healer. Joshlin, who has a fair complexion and turquoise eyes, has not been seen since February when she went missing from outside her home in Saldanha Bay near Cape Town. As twisted details emerged in court, witnesses told how the mum had sold her for £800, and that she would have allegedly settled for £200, MailOnline reports. Smith, 35, was sentenced over kidnapping and trafficking together with her boyfriend, Jacquen Appollis and a friend, Steveno van Rhyn. A search continues for little Joshlin, whose devastated grandmother pleaded with the depraved mother to bring her back 'or tell me where she is.' Joshlin's granny, Amanda Smith-Daniels, who now cares for her sibling, told Newzroom Afrika: 'I don't feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back.' She asked: 'How do you sleep [and] live with yourself?' A social worker revealed during the trial that Joshlin had been living in neglect. Lorential Lombaard, a neighbour and Smith's friend, told the court that the mother had confessed before the disappearance she had sold Joshlin to a 'sangoma,' a traditional healer also known as 'soul doctors.' The neighbour said she later spotted the mum packing a bag of clothes for Joshlin before she climbed into a car with her and a woman she believes to be the healer. Joshlin's teacher claimed that Smith said during a search that the little girl was already 'on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa.' The court heard how Joshlin went to live with family friends after her mother, who has a history of drug abuse since her teens, was abusive while high. More Trending The friends tried to adopt her to give her a better life, but the parents allegedly blocked it. Family friend Natasha Andrews, who knew Joshlin, shared a video of her in court because 'so many people…don't know what Joshlin sounds like.' Joshlin's teacher said the girl was 'very tidy' and that she plays her favourite gospel song, God Will Work It Out, at the start of each school day to her friends, who keep asking about her fate. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Dad wrongly accused of driving car in Liverpool crowd 'too scared to return home' MORE: Liverpool suspect's wife 'found out about crash when she saw her car on TV' MORE: Shocking moment cop shoots driver through windscreen while clinging to car hood in Miami
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mother who sold six-year-old daughter given life term in South Africa
A South African woman convicted of kidnapping and trafficking her six-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison, along with her two accomplices. The jail terms for Racquel "Kelly" Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn's come more than a year after Joshlin Smith mysteriously disappeared outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town. Despite a highly publicised search for the girl, who vanished in February 2024, she is yet to be found. The sentencing follows a six-week trial that captivated South Africa, with witnesses and prosecutors making a number of shocking allegations. Judge Nathan Erasmus said he "drew no distinction" between the trio in handing down the sentences. "On the human trafficking charge, you are sentenced to life imprisonment. On the kidnapping charge, you are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment," he said to loud applause in the courtroom. Smith and her accomplices showed no emotion as their sentences were read out in the community centre in Saldanha where the trial was held to allow local residents to attend proceedings. Tears and heartbreak over tragic story of Joshlin Smith Emotions were high ahead of the sentencing, with angry community members saying the trio should get a "harsh sentence because they deserve it". Ahead of sentencing, Joshlin's grandmother, Amanda Smith-Daniels, once again pleaded with her daughter to "bring my [grand]child back or tell me where she is". "I don't feel that any sentence they get will bring my grandchild back," she told local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika. Ms Smith-Daniels said that Joshlin's disappearance had left her family "broken". She urged her daughter to stop blaming others for her misfortune as she "was the person that did the deed". During the trial, the court heard testimonies from more than 30 witnesses, who painted a picture of the young girl's troubled life and subsequent disappearance. Kelly Smith and her accomplices refused to testify or call any witnesses for their defence. The most explosive came from Lourentia Lombaard, a friend and neighbour of Smith who turned state witness. Ms Lombaard alleged that Smith told her she had done "something silly" and sold Joshlin to a traditional healer, known in South Africa as a "sangoma". The "person who [allegedly took] Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and skin", Ms Lombaard told the court. A local pastor testified that in 2023, he had heard Smith - a mother of three - talk of selling her children for 20,000 rand ($1,100; £850) each, though she had said she was willing to accept a lower figure of $275. Joshlin's teacher then alleged in court that Smith had told her during the search that her daughter was already "on a ship, inside a container, and they were on the way to West Africa". It was the testimonies of Ms Lombard and the clergyman that were key to securing a conviction. During sentencing hearings, Smith was described as manipulative and someone who told "bald-faced lies". A social worker appointed to compile a report on Smith and her accomplices, went so far as to say it would not be a "stretch to conclude that [Kelly] Smith is the mastermind behind the trafficking of her own daughter". The court also heard powerful statements from those who knew Joshlin about the devastating effect of her disappearance on the community. Joshlin Smith's disappearance spreads fear in South Africa's Saldhana Bay 'The selfie that revealed I was a stolen baby' Focus on Africa This Is Africa
