McKenzie Claims He Knew He Had Met A Suspect Upon Meeting Joshlin’s Mother

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has made shocking claims about Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Saldanha Bay girl Joshlin Smith, suggesting that he immediately suspected her involvement in her daughter’s disappearance.

McKenzie, who had actively assisted in the search for Joshlin after she went missing in February 2024, described his first encounter with Smith as unsettling.

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McKenzie revealed that after meeting Smith, he felt an overwhelming suspicion that she knew more about Joshlin’s fate than she was letting on.

In a recent Facebook post, McKenzie stated, “When I met Kelly Smith, I couldn’t sleep because I knew I had just met a suspect.”

He alleged that Smith’s behavior at a prayer meeting for Joshlin raised red flags.

According to McKenzie, Smith seemed unusually carefree, even dancing during the service, which he claimed indicated she was preparing to flee.

McKenzie further alleged that Smith had packed bags and arranged transportation to visit family members, which intensified his suspicions.

Suspicious Behaviour Leads To Arrest

McKenzie and his team reportedly kept a close watch on Smith after her suspicious actions.

He recalled offering to take Smith shopping and booking her into a guesthouse to keep her under supervision.

McKenzie claimed that while Smith was at the hotel, she made phone calls, and his team became more concerned.

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The following day, McKenzie was contacted by police, who were inquiring about Smith’s whereabouts.

He provided authorities with her hotel room number, which led to Smith’s arrest.

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie could not confirm McKenzie’s allegations, citing the ongoing trial of the accused.

Smith, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and his friend Stevano van Rhyn, faces charges of kidnapping and human trafficking after Joshlin went missing from their Saldanha Bay home on February 19, 2024.

The trial, which has been taking place at the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Saldanha, has seen shocking testimonies and growing public interest.

Court Testimonies Shed Light On Smith’s Alleged Actions

During the trial, several key testimonies have emerged that suggest Smith may have been involved in a more sinister plot.

Smith’s sister, Michaela Daniels, testified that Kelly had mentioned that someone wanted to sell her child.

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On February 26, Daniels received a WhatsApp call from Smith, who allegedly said, “Someone wants to sell my child, but Saldanha is currently ‘too heated.’”

Daniels also noted a stark change in Smith’s demeanor when she spoke to her again, this time describing McKenzie’s gesture of buying clothes for other children while avoiding questions about Joshlin’s whereabouts.

Another startling revelation came from Lourentia Lombaard, a friend of Smith, who testified that Smith had confessed to selling Joshlin to a sangoma.

Lombaard claimed that Smith said, “Rens, I did something sh*t now. I sold my child to a sangoma. I needed money, and I’m suffering.”

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