Inside a busy primary school classroom in the coastal town of Saldanha Bay, South Africa, a chair was left empty.
This is where six-year-old Joshlin Smith sits – or sat until he disappeared in February, in a case that caught the attention of South Africans.
The huge search operation involving the Navy as well as local volunteers, the large reward and his mother’s arrest served to make this story irresistible.
But the community that lives with its daily reality remains scared.
Saldanha Bay, about 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Cape Town, has a reputation as a quiet, picturesque town known for fishing, water sports and the magnificently colored wildflowers that bloom in spring in city natural reserve.
Despite the end of apartheid 30 years ago, the spatial planning in Saldanha, as in most cities and towns in South Africa, still reflects the inequalities bequeathed by the separate and unequal development system.
As you enter the city through the commercial district, luxury housing, including guesthouses and holiday homes, is close to the coast.
But when you go to the Diazville and Middelpos areas, which comprise a mix of low-cost and informal housing, there is a noticeable change.
Homes in Diazville are mostly basic government-subsidized brick and mortar structures known as RDP homes (part of the Reconstruction and Development Program). In the adjacent Middelpos area there is a mix of RDP houses and corrugated iron shacks built in open countryside.
There is a strong feeling of anxiety and suspicion in both communities, especially when they see a stranger or a car that is not from the area.
The increase in the number of parents and guardians anxiously waiting to collect their children outside the gates of Diazville’s modest primary school is an indication of how much more care is being taken by residents to ensure the safety of young children in the area.
Getting these adults to talk is not easy.
The reluctance is understandable given the media frenzy and several cases of fake news spread on social media, such as alleged sightings and reports of a body being found.
Faeeza Ecksteen, one of the parents who was prepared to talk, was at the school Joshlin attended to pick up her six-year-old son Aleem.
She says the disappearance of Joshlin, also known as Joslin, has had a serious impact on the community, especially children.
“It’s a very sad story. All parents are now concerned about their children’s well-being and taking extra care to ensure their safety.”
“It’s traumatizing for children in the area because they don’t want to play outside anymore,” adds community activist Carmelite Ross.
“My 11-year-old daughter, Keayondre, didn’t want to go to school the first few days after Joshlin disappeared because she was scared, even though the school was just a few minutes away. with six other children.
“Ultimately, everyone at Saldanha, even our children, were drawn into this matter.”
Ms. Ross, who participated in many of the searches for Joshlin in the early days after the girl’s disappearance, chose to retreat for her own well-being.
“I decided to restrict my involvement in the Joshlin case because it started to affect me emotionally.
“As a mother, it is very painful. I spent sleepless nights because if it was my son I don’t think I would be alive because of all the worries, the stress and everything you have to deal with.”
Two weeks after Joshlin disappeared from her modest hut in the Middelpos informal settlement, police arrested her mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, Smith’s boyfriend, Jacquen “Boeta” Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn and Phumza Sigaqa. This room has already been locked and is deserted.
The four first appeared in the local magistrate’s court on March 7 on charges of human trafficking and kidnapping. A large crowd of local residents gathered around the courthouse to call for “justice for Joshlin.”
The first few days after her disappearance were accompanied by some racial tension between members of color (as people of mixed racial heritage are known in South Africa) and black members of the community, following the arrest of Ms Sigaqa, a black person. She was caught up in a whirlwind of rumors and media reports incorrectly identified her as a traditional healer, or sangoma.
“There were days when people in this area labeled us as if we were the cause of Joshlin’s disappearance. There were days when people suspected sangomas, of doing wrong things,” Middelpos district councilor Liwani Siyabulela told the BBC.
“We were able to resolve the issues – we made it clear that it’s not about being colored, black or white, Indian or whatever. We should be focusing on finding the missing child. At least now the atmosphere is back to normal.” says Siyabulela, a member of the African National Congress (ANC), which governs the country.
Ross acknowledges there may have been racial tensions initially, but is glad they were quickly resolved.
“I have never experienced such unity in this community. Everyone, no matter what race or culture – they were all there helping in the search. I saw the unity in our people.”
Ms Sigaqa was released after charges against her were dropped due to lack of evidence. She has since left her home, which is just meters from where Joshlin lived, following threats from community members.
The 32-year-old said in an interview with national television station Newzroom Afrika that police tortured her while she was in custody. The police did not respond to the allegations.
Lourentia Lombaard, who was reportedly the last person to see Joshlin before her disappearance, was later arrested and is still in custody.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, Ms Lombaard made a confession, although more information will only be provided at a later stage.
The other three in custody have not commented on the allegations, but Ms Smith had previously told local publication The Daily Voice that she had not given up hope of finding her daughter.
“My maternal instincts tell me that my daughter is still alive and in this area. We will find her, I will walk on foot to find her. I will search every shack, I will do it alone if I need to.”
Missing children continue to harm South African society.
According to Bianca van Aswegen, national coordinator of Missing Children South Africa (MCSA), figures released by the country’s missing persons department in 2013 said that a child goes missing every five hours in the country, but have not been updated since then. .
MCSA statistics show that just over three-quarters of children are found, but the rest are suspected of being trafficked or killed.
The enormous attention surrounding Joshlin’s disappearance, while welcome, is also puzzling since the same attention has not been given to most other cases where children have gone missing.
“It could be that Joshlin’s case hit social media like a storm. Unfortunately, many people spread false information in the process, which made the investigation difficult,” says Van Aswegen.
Back at Joshlin’s school, everyone is hopeful that she will be found alive.
On the wall in the entrance hall there is a collection of messages of support from different classes next to his portrait.
The school also published a video on its Facebook page in which an assembly of children sings “God will solve this”.
But young students also need to find a way to focus on themselves, says school director Lee-Ann Davids-Hartzenberg.
“We still hope and pray for Joshlin’s safe return, but we need to operate and function daily to the best of our abilities. We need to move forward. Things are better this semester, but Joshlin’s classmates still miss her in the classroom.”
“They regularly sing a hymn that she likes and are also growing a plant for her in class.”
