SAPS Detectives Return To Saldanha Bay As Fresh Leads Surface In Joshlin Smith Disappearance Case

Police return to Saldanha Bay after new leads surface in the Joshlin Smith case. Despite life sentences for her mother in 2025, the search for the child continues.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 8:39 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from CapeTalk

Investigative Teams Re-Mobilize Following New Community Claims

Police detectives have been deployed back to the Middelpos area of Saldanha Bay following a new tip-off concerning the long-standing Joshlin Smith case. The six-year-old girl vanished in February 2024, sparking a national outcry and a high-profile trial that concluded last year. Western Cape police spokesperson, Colonel André Traut, confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently on the ground investigating claims made by a local community member. While the case saw successful convictions in 2025, the central mystery of the child’s exact physical location continues to drive law enforcement efforts as they attempt to bring full closure to the grieving community.

Life Sentences For Kidnapping And Trafficking Fail To Reveal Child’s Location

The return of investigators comes nearly a year after the Western Cape High Court handed down heavy sentences to those responsible for Joshlin’s disappearance. In May 2025, Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, along with Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, were sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking and an additional 10 years for kidnapping. Despite the judicial victory and the dismissal of the trio’s bid to appeal their convictions, the convicts have remained tight-lipped regarding the girl's ultimate fate. The current investigation suggests that police are still holding onto the hope that the child might be found, treating every new lead with high priority.

SAPS Maintains Rigorous Assessment Of Evidence Credibility

Colonel Traut emphasized that while detectives are actively pursuing the latest lead, no tangible evidence or physical breakthrough has been recorded as of March 26, 2026. He reiterated that the SAPS has pursued numerous leads since 2024, many of which have been "rigorously assessed for credibility and evidential value" without yielding a result. The police have maintained a stance of treating all information with seriousness, acknowledging that the nation remains watchful. The current operation in Saldanha Bay is being handled with caution to avoid raising false hopes among a community that has been traumatized by the case for over two years.