More than two years after six-year-old Joshlin Smith disappeared from Middelpos in Saldanha, Western Cape, a search team has reported finding new items in the Saldanha dunes that it believes could be relevant to the investigation.
Joshlin was last seen shortly after 5pm on 19 February 2024. She was a Grade 1 learner at Diazville Primary School at the time of her disappearance. She has never been found, despite extensive searches and the conclusion of the criminal case involving three people convicted in connection with her trafficking.
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What Happened to Joshlin Smith in Saldanha
Joshlin disappeared from her home in Middelpos on 19 February 2024 when she was six years old. Her disappearance triggered a large search operation and widespread public attention across South Africa.
The search continued beyond the initial investigation, with Cape Town-based activist Reverend June Dolley-Major among those involved in efforts to locate the child.
At a briefing in Cape Town, Dolley-Major said the search team had continued returning to sections of the Saldanha dunes where items believed to be potentially relevant had previously been found.
She said the team had kept records of items recovered, including when and where each item was found, who discovered it and who identified or verified it.
Among the items reportedly found during the searches were a jersey, a men’s T-shirt said to have belonged to Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, a duvet cover, a wooden log believed to have come from Kelly Smith’s floorboard and other clothing and material.
Dolley-Major acknowledged that the dunes are also a dumpsite, meaning items found there cannot automatically be linked to Joshlin or the people connected to the case.
She said the search team therefore attempted to document and verify items rather than simply assuming they were connected to the disappearance.
New Evidence Reported in Saldanha Dunes
Some of the more recent searches have produced items that Dolley-Major says require further examination.
A yellow ribbon was reportedly found shortly before the trial began in March 2025. According to Dolley-Major, Joshlin’s school wore yellow ribbons and a small section of the ribbon was tested by retired police officer Danie Krugel. She said the testing indicated the presence of Joshlin Smith’s DNA.
The ribbon was subsequently handed to police, according to Dolley-Major.
Another item highlighted by the search team was sponge or mattress material. Dolley-Major said there appeared to be blood on the material and claimed that testing conducted by Krugel indicated the presence of Joshlin’s DNA.
A trained cadaver dog was also brought to the area, and Dolley-Major said the dog went directly to the material after it had been placed in a public area.
The search team also reported finding a piece of rope in the dunes on 26 February 2026. It reportedly had what appeared to be blood splatter and was bagged and handed to police as evidence.
Dolley-Major said a statement from the person who found the rope was still outstanding at the time of her briefing.
Other items reportedly recovered this year included a pair of female pants, three plastic bags and additional material. Dolley-Major said two of the three plastic bags tested positive for what she described as Joshlin Smith’s DNA.
She also said the items were subsequently tested for blood and tested positive.
These claims have been attributed to Dolley-Major and the search team. They should not be treated as independently confirmed forensic findings unless and until recognised forensic authorities establish the results.
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Joshlin Smith Missing Person Details and Search Efforts
Joshlin Smith was six years old when she disappeared and was a Grade 1 learner at Diazville Primary School. She had green eyes and was last seen at her home in Middelpos, Saldanha, shortly after 5pm on 19 February 2024.
Her current age is nine, with her birthday expected in October 2026.
The source material available for this report does not provide a detailed description of the clothing Joshlin was wearing when she disappeared, nor does it provide a current public contact number for members of the public with information.
The continued search has taken place against the background of a criminal case that resulted in convictions and sentences for Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn for trafficking the child.
However, Joshlin Smith herself remains missing.
Dolley-Major said the search team does not want to replace the South African Police Service and instead wants to make additional resources available where they could assist the investigation.
She said sponsors had offered to help fund equipment and specialist resources, including a tractor-loader-backhoe to loosen soil in the dunes, a trained cadaver dog and forensic testing at private laboratories in South Africa or internationally.
The search team has also raised concerns about whether existing forensic equipment and testing methods can detect very small traces of biological material after a long period of exposure to the elements.
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Latest Update on the Joshlin Smith Search
Dolley-Major is calling for the section of the dunes to be searched thoroughly and for items already handed to police to undergo appropriate forensic examination.
She has also asked that private forensic laboratories be considered if suitable testing cannot be carried out through existing processes, with sponsors reportedly willing to cover the costs.
The search team says it will continue looking for Joshlin Smith.
For her family and those who have followed the case for more than two years, the central issue remains unchanged. Joshlin Smith has still not been found.
Anyone with credible information that could help establish what happened to Joshlin or where she may be should report it to the South African Police Service rather than confronting or investigating possible suspects themselves. Missing Person South Africa will continue to follow developments in the search and report verified updates.
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