The Joshlin Smith trial resumes today with the cross-examination of a protected witness, whose testimony on Day 11 described a heated argument between Kelly Smith and Jacquen Appollis on the eve of Joshlin’s disappearance.
What to expect from the Joshlin Smith trial on Day 12
Meanwhile, Lourentia Lombaard completed her testimony, making a direct plea for Joshlin’s return. Mickeyla Daniels, Kelly’s sister, also took the stand, sharing a disturbing claim about Joshlin’s whereabouts and raising questions about Kelly’s behaviour after the child vanished.
With the defence preparing to challenge the protected witness’s account, tensions in the courtroom continue to escalate.
Readers can follow today’s proceedings live via our streaming link as new developments emerge.
Recap of Day 11: Key testimonies and new revelations
Lourentia Lombaard’s Final Words: A Plea for Joshlin’s Return
After detailing an alleged R20,000 transaction in which Kelly Smith supposedly sold Joshlin to a sangoma, Lourentia Lombaard wrapped up her testimony by addressing inconsistencies in her earlier statements.
She admitted that in her non-sworn statement to police on 15 March 2024, she had misrepresented certain facts. Initially, she claimed she saw Kelly exit the white Polo and walk to work after handing over Joshlin. However, she later clarified that she never actually saw Kelly leave the vehicle—she only witnessed Kelly and Joshlin getting inside before the car drove away.
Lombaard also revealed that the buyer had a specific interest in Joshlin’s eyes and skin, according to Kelly.
Before stepping down, Lombaard, who is a mother of four, expressed deep remorse for her involvement in the events leading up to Joshlin’s disappearance. She made an emotional plea:
“If Joshlin is still alive, whoever has her, please return her.”
Mickeyla Daniels’ Testimony: A Disturbing Phone Call
The next witness, Mickeyla Daniels, is Kelly Smith’s biological sister. She testified about her strained relationship with Kelly and a shocking statement Kelly allegedly made after Joshlin disappeared.
Daniels explained that she and Kelly did not grow up together. Kelly was raised by their grandmother in Saldanha Bay, while Daniels and their other siblings lived in the Northern Cape. Because Kelly frequently changed phone numbers, their contact over the years was limited.
Daniels first learned about Joshlin’s disappearance on 20 February 2024, when their mother sent her a voice note saying Kelly had called in distress. Concerned, Daniels tried contacting Kelly on Facebook, but her messages were ignored.
When Kelly finally responded on 26 February 2024, Daniels asked where Joshlin was. Kelly’s reply was startling:
“My child is here in the informal settlement. Someone wants to sell my child, but Saldanha is a hotspot.”
Daniels pressed for more details, asking where Kelly had been on the day Joshlin disappeared and whether there were any suspects. Instead of answering, Kelly dodged the questions, saying the police had already asked her everything.
Daniels also recalled that Kelly abruptly ended the call, offering only a vague explanation that Joshlin had stayed home because her school uniform was dirty and she had no washing powder.
Their final interaction came on 3 March 2024, during a video call with TikTok activist Shakeera “Shakes” Ganief. Daniels said Kelly’s entire demeanour had changed—she was upbeat and bragging about how politician Gayton McKenzie had bought her and her children new clothes.
Protected Witness Testifies About Heated Argument Before Joshlin’s Disappearance
The final witness of the day, whose identity is protected, testified about an argument she witnessed between Kelly Smith and Jacquen Appollis on 18 February 2024—the night before Joshlin vanished.
She stated that she was walking past a rocky passage near a canal in Diazville when she saw Kelly shouting at Jacquen. She recalled Kelly yelling:
“Ek saal jou wys!” (“I will show you!”)
The witness then saw Kelly grab Joshlin and drag her toward a shack. In the process, Joshlin lost a pink flip-flop.
This detail stood out to the witness later, as reports surfaced that a pink flip-flop had been found in connection to the case.
Two days later, after learning about Joshlin’s disappearance, the witness realized the significance of what she had seen. She told her colleague:
“That child is not missing. Kelly [Smith] needs to say what happened to her.”
Cross-Examination: Defense Challenges the Witness’s Account
During cross-examination, Jacquen Appollis’s lawyer questioned the witness’s identification of Jacquen. The defence argued that she could not have been certain it was him since she had never seen him before.
However, the witness remained firm in her testimony, stating that she later recognized Jacquen from media coverage of the trial.
We did a full breakdown of Trial Week 2, which you can watch below:
