Family history of abuse, addiction and neglect laid bare in Joshlin Smith trial

From left: Co-accused Jacquen Appollis, Raquel ‘Kelly’ Smith‘s boyfriend, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking stemming from Joshlin Smith’s disappearance. (Photo: Vincent Cruywagen)

By Vincent Cruywagen

11 Mar 2025

As far back as 2016, social workers recorded how Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, mother of the missing Joshlin Smith, was a regular drug user who was abusive towards her family, who largely relied on others to put food on the table.

Siliziwe Mbambo, a Saldanha Bay social worker who has been dealing with Racquel “Kelly” Smith and her children over her drug abuse and domestic violence issues since 20 February 2024, presented the Department of Social Development (DSD) file on the family to the Western Cape High Court in the Saldanha Bay Multipurpose Centre on Tuesday, 11 March 2025.

The damning report begins when Smith’s grandmother first alerted the department on 15 February 2016, when Smith was abusing drugs and neglecting her son, now 11 years old, whom she allegedly threatened to stab. She also threatened her grandmother, according to the report. On that day, her grandmother enquired about getting a protection order.

This file was reopened on 3 July 2017, when social workers learnt that Smith’s son was living with her grandmother. Smith was rarely in contact with her son.

That year, social workers learnt that Smith had continued to take drugs while she was pregnant with Joshlin, who was six years old when she went missing on 19 February 2024.

Smith approached the DSD only on 20 March 2018 to address her drug habit. She was then staying with Joshlin’s father, Jose Emke, in Marikana informal settlement in Middelpos. The court has heard that their relationship was abusive and Smith would often drop Joshlin at her relative Natasha Andrews’ house as it was “not safe” at home.

On 8 May 2018, Smith was admitted to the Siyabonga centre of safety to help deal with her drug use. She left the centre in October 2018. During that time, Joshlin stayed with Andrews. According to Mbambo, Smith apparently refused further follow-up treatment.

Andrews regularly cared for Joshlin and wanted to adopt her in 2018, but that fell through when Smith and Emke rejected the idea.

Despite interventions from the DSD, and Smith going to rehab, she experienced several relapses, which continued until the day her child went missing from the Middelpos informal settlement.

Read more: Saldanha Bay fishing communities now live in fear as gangsterism runs rife

Smith and her co-accused Jacquen Appollis, her boyfriend, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking stemming from Joshlin’s disappearance.

joshlin appollis van rhyn From left: Co-accused Jacquen Appollis, Raquel ‘Kelly’ Smith‘s boyfriend, and Steveno van Rhyn face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking stemming from Joshlin Smith’s disappearance. (Photo: Vincent Cruywagen)

Smith’s continued drug abuse became more apparent in the trio’s plea explanations, read into the record last week, indicating that on the day Joshlin went missing, all those involved, including Smith, claim that they took drugs, including tik, on multiple occasions and did not look for her until hours later.

Read more: Accused admit to day of drug use while denying involvement in Joshlin Smith’s disappearance

The three, who have pleaded not guilty, rejected the charges brought against them. It is the State’s contention that the accused “sold, delivered or exchanged” Joshlin for money.

Working for food

After Joshlin’s disappearance, Mbambo began actively working on the Smith case. The social worker told the court that Smith was traumatised by her child’s absence and that it was her responsibility to establish how the department could help Smith.

The court has heard that Smith didn’t send her children to school on the morning of Joshlin’s disappearance because they didn’t have clean clothes. Mbambo said that, according to Smith, the family didn’t have any soap at the time.

On Monday, the court heard that Smith did domestic work for Kelly Zeegers and her mother, but was never paid in cash. Rather, they gave her food to ensure that she and her children at least had a plate of food to eat.

“We had an arrangement that I would not pay Kelly money for work done in my house, but rather food. This is to make sure that she and the children have a plate of food.

“On Friday, 16 February 2024, I bought groceries worth R500 after Kelly told me that there is no food in her house. She also comes to my house whenever she needs anything. Kelly, despite using drugs, never took anything out of my house.”

“On 19 February, she asked me for R200 and I told her that I had already spent R500 on groceries. I later learnt that my mother Carlien gave her R50 and later R150 on that specific day,” she said.

The court has heard how Smith largely used the money to buy drugs.

Mbambo said that after Joshlin’s disappearance, Smith requested an assessment from a social worker and asked to be admitted to a shelter. There, she would have to turn in her cellphone, take periodic drug tests, and stay within its perimeter. No men were allowed. Smith refused to be admitted.

Children placed in care

Mbambo also addressed the placement of Smith’s children into care. It required the social worker to produce a report and deliver it to the magistrate at the Children’s Court.

A final order was made on 3 July 2024 for the placement of the minor boy (11) into foster care with Emke’s family.

Smith’s minor daughter has been looked after by a caregiver since 15 March 2024, an order approved by the court. However, the minor girl’s biological father, from the Northern Cape, was not pleased with the arrangement and objected, applying to care for the girl himself.

A social worker from the DSD visited the father, after which a report was compiled and presented to the Children’s Court. According to Mbambo, his application was denied.

Court proceedings were interrupted on Tuesday when Joshlin’s father, Jose Emke, had an epileptic seizure. He was calmed and led him from the court.

The case continues on Wednesday when Mbambo faces cross-examination. DM

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Working for food

Children placed in care