Joshlin Smith: Stun grenades and teargas fired outside court
Hundreds descended on the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where the four accused allegedly involved in the disappearance of Joshlin Smith are set to make their second appearance.
Joshlin’s mother, Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, Stevano van Rhyn, and alleged sangoma Phumza Sigaqa face charges of trafficking in persons and kidnapping. This will be the group’s second court appearance and they have officially applied for legal aid.
However, things got rowdy outside court as police barricaded the roads with barbed wire to avoid political spats.
Police also dispersed stun grenades and tear gas to control the crowd.
People in the crowd can be seen wearing political attire, from Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) and Patriotic Alliance (PA).
Angry residents have expressed their displeasure that some people are not being given access to enter the court premises.
Deputy chairperson for the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the Western Cape, Ashely Sauls, told the angry crowd he had applied for permission to attend the court case and stated while he may be denied entry they will continue to fight for Joshlin.
“They [police] want us to go on like this so they can hurt us. But, we will show them something else. I have one message. We are better,” Sauls told the crowd who cheered.
Sauls is also known as Oom Biza on social media platforms.
People can be seen carrying placards which read: “Justice for Joshlin”, “we just want Joshlin back”.
The crowd was also chanting: “We want Joshlin!”, “Onse kind (our child”, “Ons kom jou haal (We’re coming to fetch you)”.
The Grade 1 learner from Diazville disappeared without a trace on February 19, just after 5pm.
On Wednesday, it has been 23 days since Joshlin disappeared.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL