LOOK | Joshlin Smith search: New evidence found in Saldanha dunes after court case - IOL

Joshlin Smith has been missing since February 19, 2024.

More than two years after Joshlin Smith disappeared, those who continued searching for the missing girl have revealed new evidence found after the court case. 

Cape Town-based activist Reverend June Dolley-Major held a briefing on Thursday, where she revealed the evidence and appealed for police and communities to work hand in hand to find the missing girl who disappeared from her home in Saldanha when she was just six years old. 

Joshlin, who was in Grade 1 at Diazville Primary School, was last seen just after 5pm at her home in Middelpos on February 19, 2024.

The search for the green-eyed girl caused a national outcry, and people from near and far descended on the small fishing town in hopes of finding her.

Reverend June Dolley-Major held a briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.

While Joshlin remains missing, her mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and their friend Steveno van Rhyn have since been sentenced for trafficking the young girl. 

Dolley-Major, who has been part of a search team for Joshlin, said while the court case may have ended, the search for the missing child has not died down. 

“I am here because I believe that where ordinary citizens have information, resources, or evidence that may assist in finding answers for a missing child, that information must be heard, properly considered and, where appropriate, properly tested,” Dolley-Major said.

The hair ties used to extract the DNA of Joshlin Smith.

She said she arrived in Saldanha five days after Joshlin disappeared and managed to obtain a hair sample of the child from hair ties. This sample was sent to retired police officer Danie Krugel. 

Krugel is the inventor of the Matter Orientation System (aka Krugel Theory Tester), which he claims can track a person’s location by using their DNA.

He previously gave the search team an area he believed should be searched thoroughly. 

The blue and red duvet was confirmed to have been given to Kelly Smith was also found in the dunes with what is believed to be bloodstains on.

Dolley-Major said that while they searched all over, they always came back to the dunes area where they found items that belonged to Joshlin. While she admits the area is a dumpsite, the items found, such as a jersey, a men’s T-shirt allegedly belonging to Boeta with blood spatter on it, a duvet cover with blood, and a wooden log believed to be from Kelly’s floorboard, were verified by relatives or friends of Joshlin, Boeta, Kelly, or Steveno. 

“I kept records. I recorded what was found, the date it was found, who found it, and who verified it. This was not about simply picking things up and making assumptions because lots of things are dumped in the dunes. We documented verified items,” Dolley-Major said. 

The yellow ribbon believed to be that of Joshlin Smith.

Days before the trial began in March 2025, a yellow ribbon was picked up with what looked like a bloodstain on it. 

“Joshlin's school wore yellow ribbons. A tiny piece of that ribbon was sent to Danie. He detected Joshlin's DNA on it. The police have the ribbon. That is important. Because I am not asking anyone to simply believe what I say. I am asking for the evidence to be properly examined,” Dolley-Major said. 

The concrete blocks that had to be removed when digging for items in the dunes.

According to Dolley-Major, the items were not just found on the surface level of the sand in the dunes. 

“A number of items were buried approximately knee-deep under soil, with large concrete building blocks placed over them. We focused on that particular area because, on day one of the search, a jersey was found partially buried there. We returned to that area many times. We dug. It also fell in Danie's search area,” she said. 

The search team also fell sick after industrial acid was thrown on the search site. 

“Industrial acid was poured into the area by someone. The smell and exposure made the team extremely ill. We experienced severe migraines and vomiting, and the soles of some of our shoes were damaged and melted. I am sharing this because it is relevant to understanding the conditions under which the area was searched and subsequently searched with dogs,” Dolley-Major said. 

As the searches continue, Dolley-Major said on February 26, 2026, a piece of rope, with what appeared to be blood splatter, was found in the dunes. The item was bagged as evidence and handed over to police. A statement is yet to be taken from the individual who found it. 

This pants, believed to be that of Kelly Smith, found in the dunes covered in blood.

“Many items were found this year, boxed and sent to Krugel so he could determine whether he could detect Joshlin’s DNA on any of the items. On many of the items, Joshlin's DNA was not detected. I want to make that clear,” Dolley-Major said.

“We did not claim that everything we found belonged to Joshlin. But on some of the items, her DNA was detected. One particular item was a piece of sponge or mattress material.

Again, there appeared to be blood on it. Joshlin's DNA was detected on that item,” she said.

The sponge material found in the dunes with what is believed to be blood was handed over to police as evidence.

Dolley-Major said the material was placed in a public area and a trained cadaver dog brought in went directly to the item.

She said by March 26, a box of items found have not yet been sent to Krugel. She said they sent to Krugel to test if Joshlin’s DNA was present before they handed it in to police. 

“Something in that box tested positive for Joshlin's DNA. Inside the box was also a pair of female pants with what appeared to be blood on them. Someone identified the pants as being a pair that Kelly had. A statement was taken from that person at the dog unit that day.

A statement was also taken from the team member who found the items,” she said. 

Three plastic bags were also found among the items, and Dolley-major said a “rotting smell, smell of blood” was evident. 

She said two of the three plastic bags tested positive for Joshlin’s DNA. 

The testing kit used to test for blood. Danie Krugel uses this test when testing for blood on the plastic bags.

“The items were subsequently tested for blood and tested positive for blood. On 26 June 2026, these items were collected from Danie by two police officers. Danie conducted the testing in their presence,” Dolley-Major said. 

She has raised concerns about the availability of equipment and testing methods at forensic laboratories. 

“My concern is whether the available equipment and testing methods are sufficiently advanced to detect very small traces of biological material, atoms, particularly material that has been exposed to the elements of nature for such a long period,” Dolley-Major said. 

She has confirmed sponsors have stepped forward offering to pay for a tractor-loader-backhoe (TLB) to loosen the soil in the area, provide a trained cadaver dog specialising in these types of searches, and to cover the cost of forensic testing at private laboratories, both nationally and internationally, where more advanced technology may be available. 

“We do not want to do the work of SAPS. We are not trying to replace SAPS. We simply want to assist where we can. If there are resources available that can assist SAPS, we want those resources to be made available. If there is evidence that can be tested, we want it properly tested with the right technology. If there is an area that can be searched more thoroughly, we want that opportunity,” Dolley-Major said. 

Dolley-Major has asked that the area in the dunes be thoroughly searched, consideration to bringing in a TLB to loosen the soil, a trained cadaver dog, and that the items handed over be tested using the most advanced forensic technology available.

“If that cannot be done through the existing processes, then I respectfully ask that consideration be given to allowing the items to be tested at private laboratories, with the costs covered by those who have offered to sponsor the testing. If the items we found are not going to be used or tested, then I ask that they be returned to me so that arrangements can be made for independent testing, please,” Dolley-Major said. 

Next month, Joshlin will be celebrating her ninth birthday. Dolley-Major implores for every reasonable avenue to be explored. 

“Another birthday where people who love her will have to live with questions that should never have had to be asked. Wouldn't it be good if, by then, there could be answers?

Wouldn't it be good if Joshlin's loved ones could finally have some form of closure? Wouldn't it be good if every piece of information, every item, every possible lead and every available resource had been exhausted in the search for the truth?” she asked. 

So while she continues to plead for all parties involved to work together, Dolley-Major said the search team will continue to search for Joshlin until they can find closure for the family, friends, and community.