Joshlin Smith case: social worker testifies on family struggles

A Western Cape Social Development Services staff member said she discovered a history of drug abuse and concerning behaviour when reviewing the file on missing child Joshlin Smith's family.

In her testimony on Tuesday, Siliziwe Mbambo detailed her interactions with Joshlin’s family following the six-year-old’s disappearance on February 19, 2024 in Saldanha Bay.

Joshlin did not attend school that day and her mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, claimed that her uniform was dirty and that she wasn’t feeling well.

Instead, she left Joshlin in the care of her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, who later admitted to spending the day smoking tik with his friends, Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn and Laurentia Lombaard.

All four were arrested, but Lombaard was later released after turning state witness.

Mbambo testified before the court, which is sitting at the White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, that she was troubled by the Smith family’s file.

“The file was opened in 2016 after Ms Smith requested social services. Prior to that, her grandmother had also sought assistance, alleging that Ms Smith was using drugs, had abused her son Racquen and had exhibited violent behaviour—swearing at him, attempting to stab him, and even threatening to assault the grandmother. At the time, Ms Smith was pregnant,” Mbambo explained.

The grandmother had wanted a protection order against Smith but later left for the Northern Cape with Racquen. The case was eventually closed.

Smith later reached out to Social Development again in March 2018, admitting to drug use and requesting rehabilitation. She was admitted to a rehab centre for a month but refused to participate in an anti-relapse programme upon her return.

On the day Joshlin went missing, Mbambo was assigned the family’s case. She attempted to contact Smith but was unable to reach her for two days. Eventually, Mbambo found Smith at her employer, Kelly Zeegers’ home.

“My assessment was that she was traumatised by her child’s disappearance. During our engagement, she was emotional when discussing Joshlin,” Mbambo testified.

Smith told the social worker that Joshlin had stayed home from school because her uniform was dirty and she did not have soap to wash it. Despite her drug use, her friends and family, including Zeegers and her aunt, described Smith as a loving mother.

Smith admitted to last using tik on February 19 and confirmed she had previously been to rehab but had relapsed.

When asked about Smith's other children, Mbambo stated that Racquen was living with Smith’s maternal family, while Rachelle was staying with her paternal relatives.

Smith also told Mbambo that she did not feel safe and needed a place to stay.

“The department offered her a place in a shelter on 28 February, but she declined, saying she was going to Cape Town to ‘destress’ with her children, (this had been) sponsored by a political party,” Mbambo explained.

Upon her return to Saldanha Bay, she was given rules for staying at the shelter, including restrictions on cell phone use, visitors, and outings without management’s approval.

“She refused to stay, saying she needed to assist in the search for her daughter. I asked her to put that in writing,” Mbambo said.

Earlier Tuesday, Kelly Zeegers testified that she had checked her home CCTV footage days after Joshlin disappeared and found that Smith was not in her house cleaning, as she had claimed.

“I reviewed footage from 18 to 20 February, and she was not at my house. It was just my children and me,” Zeegers said.

She added that while Smith did collect her house keys from her mother’s home, she never arrived to clean.

Zeegers also noted that Smith did not display any emotions the day after Joshlin went missing.

“I couldn’t sleep, but Joshlin’s mother was sleeping. I didn’t understand,” she said.

"When journalists came to my house, I told Kelly to show emotions, I told her to cry. I asked her if she was protecting someone, and she replied no. 

"She then said her motherly instincts told her the child is not gone from the area, but she was in Marikana informal settlement. I'm not not sure if Kelly told the police about Marikana."

The trial continues.

Cape Times