The trial of Kelly Smith, the mother of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who disappeared over a year ago in South Africa, has begun, with Smith and her two co-accused, Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn, pleading not guilty to charges of human trafficking and kidnapping. The disappearance of Joshlin sent shockwaves across South Africa, with an extensive search operation launched to find the young girl, but so far, her whereabouts remain unknown. The case has garnered significant attention from the community, with many calling for justice to prevail.

The prosecution alleges that Kelly Smith was involved in her daughter's disappearance, with claims that she "sold, delivered or exchanged" the six-year-old and lied about her disappearance. The trial is being held at the Saldanha multi-purpose centre, which has been repurposed into a high court specifically for the case, to ensure that the community has access to the proceedings. The State's first witness, Constable Yanga Gongotha, testified that when he interviewed Kelly Smith on the day Joshlin went missing, she showed no emotions about her missing child, a claim that has been corroborated by Joshlin's grandmother, Lorita Yon, who expressed shock at Kelly Smith's lack of emotional response.

The case has also attracted the attention of high-profile figures, including Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, who has urged Kelly Smith to confess to the authorities about what happened to her daughter. McKenzie has suggested that drug abuse may have played a role in Joshlin's disappearance and has called on Kelly Smith to "speak the truth" about what happened to her child. The trial is expected to run from 3-28 March, with the community eagerly following the proceedings, hoping for justice to be served. The investigation into Joshlin's disappearance has been ongoing for over a year, with the police working tirelessly to uncover the truth behind the young girl's vanishing.

As the trial continues, the community remains hopeful that justice will be served, and that the truth about Joshlin's disappearance will finally be revealed. The case has highlighted the importance of community involvement in ensuring that justice is served, with many community members attending the trial and calling for justice to prevail. The outcome of the trial is still uncertain, but one thing is clear: the community will not rest until the truth about Joshlin's disappearance is revealed, and those responsible are held accountable.

The following are some key points in the timeline of events: * February 2024: Joshlin Smith disappears from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town * February 2024: Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn are arrested in connection with Joshlin's disappearance * March 2025: The trial of Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn begins at the Saldanha multi-purpose centre * March 2025: The State's first witness, Constable Yanga Gongotha, testifies that Kelly Smith showed no emotions about her missing child on the day Joshlin disappeared * March 2025: Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie urges Kelly Smith to confess to the authorities about what happened to her daughter. The trial is ongoing, with the community eagerly awaiting the outcome, and the truth about Joshlin's disappearance is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.