Joshlin Smith: A view of the week as Lourentia Lombaard faces tough cross-examination

A chilling testimony on Monday shed new light on the disturbing circumstances surrounding Joshlin Smith’s disappearance.

Joshlin disappeared from the family’s home in Middelpos on 19 January 2024.

Lourentia (Rens) Lombaard recounted an encounter with Smith, who allegedly made a shocking admission. Testifying in the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Saldanha, Lombaard, Smith claimed that the person who had taken Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and skin.

State prosecutor Zelda Swanepoel asked Lombaard, “How do you feel about this incident and what you have done?”

Lombaard replied, “I feel very hurt. I have four children and didn’t know about Boeta [Jacquen Appollis] and Kelly’s plan. Only after eavesdropping did I later overhear their plan to sell the child. I tried to stop Kelly, but she wouldn’t listen.”

Joshlin’s aunt testifies: Kelly said someone wanted to sell her child

Mickeyla Daniels, Kelly’s sister, also took the stand on Monday. She told the court that a week after Joshlin vanished, Smith told her that Joshlin was in the informal settlement and that someone wanted to sell her child.

Daniels, a constable at the Public Order Policing (POP) unit in Upington, testified that she then asked Smith who her boyfriend’s friends [Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, Smith’s boyfriend and another co-accused] were, who were there that day, where she went to work, where Requen was that day and why she didn’t send Joshlin to school.

“She replied, ‘My sister, you’re asking me the questions the police had already asked me. Smith also added that Joshlin’s school uniform was dirty and that she did not have money to buy washing powder. She then put the phone down.”

The court also heard that the first time Daniels called Smith, she was in a state and said that Joshlin had not been found. “However, the second time I called her, she was happy and laughed. She told me that Gayton McKenzie had bought clothes for Requen and Rachelle. The more I asked her about Joshlin, the more she spoke about the clothes.”

‘I knew I just met a suspect’ – Gayton McKenzie 

In the meantime, Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie alleged that Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Saldanha Bay girl Joshlin Smith, planned to run before her arrest.

McKenzie was one of the politicians actively involved in the search for the six-year-old, offering support for the family in the hopes of finding Joshlin.

The PA leader said the first time he met Smith, he immediately suspected that she allegedly knew more about her daughter’s disappearance.

“When I met Kelly [Smith], I couldn’t sleep because I knew I had just met a suspect,” McKenzie alleged in a recent Facebook post.

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie could not confirm McKenzie’s claims as the case against the accused was on trial.

Mnr Daniels: ‘Focus on Joshlin, not looks’

On Wednesday, a post went viral on Facebook when a man claiming to be Smith’s younger brother spoke out. The Citizen has a screengrab of the original post, which has since been deleted.

The man, only identified as Mnr Daniels, wrote: “I see that my sister, Mickeyla, is trending, but please don’t ask me about it. The attention on my sister’s appearance or Kelly’s looks is misplaced. What truly matters is the case of young, innocent Joshlin and the circumstances of her disappearance.”

He continued to say that he was “genuinely saddened by what happened to Joshlin. It still hurts me to this day. What Kelly did to her is horrific. She does not deserve to be called a mother. However, I ask that you not judge me or my family for Kelly’s actions”.

Lombaard admits to lying as cross-examination intensifies

Lombard’s cross-examination intensified on Wednesday as the defence tried to poke holes in her evidence.

Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis’ lawyer, Fanie Harmse, pressed Lombaard about where her children were on the morning of 18 February 2024.

She started stammering and asked to correct her statement three times. She eventually said the children were with her the morning and the afternoon when she went to Smith’s house.

Judge Nathan Erasmus asked why she had previously mentioned they were with her in the morning. After further questioning, she said the children were not with her in the morning and asked the judge to forgive her for the mistake.

“You told us that they were with you at least four times. We spent the last 45 minutes on this point.” Erasmus said. 

The interpreter then told the court that Lombaard was shaking and getting emotional. The court adjourned for a further 10 minutes. 

When Erasmus returned, he stated, “I saw the emergency medical services vehicle standing by. The witness is receiving medical treatment. We cannot proceed. The matter will be postponed until tomorrow.”

Lombaard admits to lying about timeline

As the defence continued to poke holes in Lombaard’s statements on Thursday, she stumbled, admitting fear and confusion. ‘I wasn’t fully conscious,’ she confessed.

Harmse pointed to Lombaard’s recollection of overhearing Smith telling Appollis about the money she was paid for Joshlin. He asked what time it was. She said she didn’t remember.

However, he said that in her confession she said the conversation happened on the afternoon of Sunday 18 February.

Erasmus again intervened and asked about the discussion on how the money would be divided and said that her statement read it happened on the Sunday. Lombaard confirmed.

“So why did you tell the officer that the discussion took place on Monday?” he asked. “Did you then lie to her?”

“That’s correct,” Lombaard replied.

The trial will resume on Monday.

Additional reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde.