Despite some resources being pulled back, there are still boots on the ground in the search for missing six-year-old, Joslin Smith.
READ MORE: Search for missing 6-year-old Joslin Smith scaled down
Western Cape Community Safety and Police Oversight MEC, Reagan Allen, visited Saldanha Bay SAPS station on Friday to get an update on the police investigations into the girl’s disappearance.
During the briefing, which was joined by Saldanha Bay Mayor, Andre Truter, Allen disputed rumours that the little was being done to find Joslin. He noted that a search was conducted on Friday morning, highlighting that members of provincial police and Cape Town law enforcement, as well as K9 units and other entities, are very active in their operations.
“The operations [are] ongoing. The latest operation that was just concluded [Friday] morning via the Diazville community leading into the SANDF property… There’s certain areas that’s even being double-checked and triple-checked.”
Joslin’s disappearance & vigilantism
It’s about 11 days since Joslin was reported missing, and the Diazville and adjacent communities have reportedly been quite involved in the search for her. As such, unfounded information on the investigation has come up and has been spread, especially on social media.
In response to this information, community members and political figures have approached people on the involvement in her disappearance. Allen notes that a businessman in the area has had to be moved to a safe location, after being accused of being involved. He says the 34-year-old man was kidnapped by members of an unnamed political party.
“There’s video footage that confirms that a certain political party and members of that party kidnapped that particular person… subsequently his business collapsed. He is living in constant fear due to the information that was placed in the public domain by a certain political party… It is classified as a kidnapping case and SAPS is investigating that particular matter.”
Joslin’s disappearance & politics
Police Minister Bheki Cele has clapped back at the Cape Town branch of the DA, following an online poster linked to the disappearance of Joslin. On the poster, it notes that the SAPS have withdrawn its resources from the search for the girl – and that the City’s law enforcement is stepping up.
Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, says the Police Ministry is disgusted by the poster and that the DA is seeking to misinform the public on the police’s involvement.
“General Bheki Cele is saddened by how low the DA can stoop, in politicising a sensitive and painful matter of a missing child in an attempt to gain votes. For the record and contrary to the lies peddled on the social media post by the DA, the SAPS has not withdrawn from the search for the grade one pupil. The helicopter has been taken off the overall police search plan however, SAPS K-9 units and police members including investigators are still actively searching for Joslin.”
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