The sentencing took place in a Saldanha community center that allowed residents to witness the proceedings, and Judge Nathan Erasmus expressed the heavy impact the case has had on the local community. Emotions ran high in the courtroom, where applause broke out after the sentences were announced. Smith's refusal to testify during the trial raised further alarm, as testimonies revealed she allegedly sold her daughter to a traditional healer—a claim backed by multiple witnesses.
Despite extensive searches, Joshlin remains missing, and local authorities, including Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile, have vowed to continue their efforts to uncover her fate. Community members voiced their anger and grief, with Joshlin's grandmother making an emotional plea for her daughter's cooperation in finding the little girl. The haunting case has left the community of Middelpos "fractured," as they grapple with the implications of such a betrayal from a mother.
Despite extensive searches, Joshlin remains missing, and local authorities, including Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile, have vowed to continue their efforts to uncover her fate. Community members voiced their anger and grief, with Joshlin's grandmother making an emotional plea for her daughter's cooperation in finding the little girl. The haunting case has left the community of Middelpos "fractured," as they grapple with the implications of such a betrayal from a mother.
