Saldanha Bay – Police have intensified efforts to locate missing child Joshlin Smith, nearly two years after her disappearance.
On Thursday, officers, assisted by sniffer dogs, searched dense bush and vegetation in Diazville, while residents observed from a distance as the operation unfolded.
Joshlin, who was six years old at the time and a Grade 1 pupil, went missing from her Middelpos home on 19 February 2024. Despite extensive search efforts since then, she has not been found.
The renewed search comes amid fresh claims by Gayton McKenzie, leader of the Patriotic Alliance, who recently stated that he has evidence suggesting the child may still be alive. McKenzie said he intends to present the information to the acting police minister.
In 2025, Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, along with two accomplices, was convicted of kidnapping and child trafficking in connection with the case. They were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
Police have not disclosed further details about the current search operation but say investigations remain ongoing.