The leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Gayton McKenzie, recently took to social media to announce a R1 million reward for the safe return of missing six-year-old Saldanha Bay girl, Joshlin Smith. McKenzie made the announcement during a livestream broadcast on his Facebook page, where he also provided an update on the case.
In his heartfelt message, McKenzie described Joshlin as a “rainbow child” and emphasized the importance of finding her.
He stated that he was willing to put R1 million of his own money towards the reward, even though it meant sacrificing funds that could have been used for his political campaign.
According to McKenzie, Joshlin has become the conscience of the nation, and he believes that finding her is bigger than politics. He expressed his commitment to the search, stating that he would have a million rand less for campaign materials such as posters, t-shirts, and diesel.
McKenzie made it clear that the reward was available to anyone who could provide information about Joshlin’s whereabouts, with no questions asked. He also highlighted the ongoing efforts to locate the missing girl, including daily searches, the use of drones, and a dedicated team working behind the scenes.
Expressing his frustration with the police, McKenzie claimed that his team had provided information about the suspects currently in custody seven days before their arrests, but no action was taken at the time. He criticized the police for not seeking the community’s help and for failing to update residents on the progress of the investigation.
McKenzie called on the police to trust the community and utilize the available resources, such as surveillance cameras, to aid in the search for Joshlin. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and urged the police to re-question a person named Owen, who had previously provided information about a navy official and sangoma looking for a white child.
Closing his message, McKenzie made it clear that he would never let the case of Joshlin Smith be forgotten. He vowed to use his political power and influence to ensure that the investigation remains active and that justice is served.
As the leader of the Patriotic Alliance and a candidate for the presidency, McKenzie acknowledged the challenges of balancing his campaign with the search for Joshlin. However, he made it clear that finding the missing girl takes precedence over politics and that he would continue to fight for her until she is safely reunited with her family.
