WC women are not protected from violence – Cele

AS THE suspects charged with the kidnapping of 6-year-old Joshlin Smith were expected to make their second court appearance today, Police Minister Bheki Cele said young girls in the Western Cape were at constant risk of violent attacks.

Joshlin disappeared two days after 15-year-old Ongeziwe Kamlana was reported missing in Gugulethu on February 17.

Ongeziwe’s charred remains were found in a burnt shack in Kuils River the following day. She had been burnt beyond recognition and DNA testing had to be used for identification.

Her alleged killer is out on R1 000 bail.

Smith disappeared from her Saldanha Bay home in Diazville on February 19.

Her mother, Kelly, Jacquen Appollis, Stevano van Rhyn, and Phumza Sigaqa were arrested for human trafficking and kidnapping, and were expected to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate's Court today.

Cele said Smith’s disappearance put the Western Cape on the map.

“We are still chasing the luck of finding Joshlin.

“What is very sad is that the people arrested should have protected the child. This tells you that there is something satanic, something that is not correct.

“Let’s find the child and stop with the politics.”

Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said they were expecting the DNA results of the bloody clothes that were collected almost two weeks ago during the search for Joshlin.

“Depending on what we find from the forensic laboratory, if it needs further investigation, we will not make the results public.”

Cele also confirmed that someone was arrested for Ongeziwe’s murder, saying the suspect would appear in court again next month.

“We hope there will be an explanation about the incident.

“It looks like Western Cape women are not protected from violence,” he said.

During a visit to Ongeziwe’s family yesterday, Cele was told the family had no money to bury the teen.

Her aunt, Fundiswa Tibisono, said: “We are still very heartbroken about the murder. We lost her on February 18, and it has now been three weeks since her body is in the morgue and we would like to bury her but we don’t have money to do that.”

Cele called on Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu for assistance.