Joshlin Smith’s estranged aunt from the Northern Cape took the stand on Monday, the court was shocked to find out this was Kelly Smith’s sister.
Mickeyla Daniels, a police constable attached to the Public Order Policing (POP) in Upington in the Northern Cape told the court Kelly was the eldest of five children.
While Kelly grew up with their grandmother in Saldanha, the rest of her siblings grew up with their parents in the Northern Cape.
Mickeyla said that she and Kelly never had regular contact because Kelly often changed her phone number.
However, Daniels said she was contacted on 20 February 2024, by her mother who explained that Joshlin had disappeared.
She said: “I sent Kelly a message before 1pm, she did not reply. I sent another message before 7pm to ask if Joshlin had been found. She didn’t answer. I called her on Facebook messenger, but she did not answer.
On February 21, 2024, Daniels received a voice note from Kelly stated Joshlin had not been found yet but claimed she “will get her back” that day.
Daniels only managed to get a hold of Kelly on Monday, February 26, 2024, where the siblings had a call via WhatsApp.
Daniels testified she asked Kelly where Joshlin was, and, in her own words, Kelly said: “My suster, my kind is hier in die plakkerskamp. Iemand wil my kind verkoop maar Saldanha is nou 'n hotspot. (my child is here in the informal settlement. Someone wants to sell my child, but Saldanha is currently a hotspot).”
She also then explained she and Kelly had a fallout on a social media platform when Gayton McKenzie took Kelly to Spur.
Daniels testified: “Gayton was interviewing Kelly on a live and I was watching. Kelly then said I said the child was sold for R20 000. That is when I commented and asked Gayton to add me to the live.
“I told him what Kelly said about her child still being in the plakkerskamp, someone wanting to sell her child and that Saldanha is a hotspot.
“Kelly then attacked me, saying I must stop lying and I won’t get a promotion.”
