Meet Joshlin's aunt who testified against her own sister
Mickeyla Daniels, the aunt of the missing Joshlin Smith, testified against her sister, Kelly, possibly unveiling new information in the missing person's case.
Mickeyla Daniels is a constable at the Public Order Policing unit in Upington and the sister of Racquel "Kelly" Smith, the mother currently on trial over the disappearance of her daughter, Joshlin.
Joshlin disappeared on January 19, 2024, from her family home in Middelpos, and her case has since become one of the most high-profile missing person cases in South Africa.
On Monday, Daniels took the stand at the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Saldanha to testify against her own sister.
According to The Citizen, Daniels told the court that a week after Joshlin vanished, Smith told her that Joshlin was still in the informal settlement and that someone wanted to sell her child.
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Daniels revealed that she and Smith are part of five siblings, one of whom, according to The Citizen, is deceased.
Joshlin's mother is reportedly the eldest of the siblings, but they did not grow up together.
Smith lived with her grandmother in Saldanha, while the other siblings were raised by their parents in Aggeneys.
The sisters also did not have regular telephonic contact.
"Kelly sent me a message on Facebook Messenger. She asked me how I was and told me she went to the hair salon. I was shocked to hear from her after all that time."
Smith reached out to her sister again on January 5, 2024, to ask for their mother’s number.
"I didn't send it to her because I didn’t have it. I also explained to her that I no longer live in Aggeneys but work in Upington," Daniels said.
"Kelly replied that she had missed out on the family’s life."
READ: Kelly Smith claimed Joshlin was trafficked to West Africa
On January 20, 2024, Daniels first learnt about Joshlin’s disappearance after receiving a WhatsApp voice note from her mother.
"The message said that Kelly had called my mother and told her that Joshlin was missing and that they had been searching for her since the previous day. I replied that I hoped she would be found."
Daniels reached out to Smith to ask if Joshlin had been found but did not receive a reply.
"After I sent her another message by 7 pm and she didn't reply, I called her on Facebook Messenger, but she did not answer."
On February 26 at 12:55 pm, Daniels allegedly phoned Smith on WhatsApp to ask where Joshlin was.
"She said, 'My sister, Joshlin is here in the informal settlement. Someone wants to sell my child, but Saldanha is currently too heated.'"
Daniels also asked questions about Smith’s boyfriend, his friend Jacquen "Boeta" Appollis, and another co-accused.
"She replied, 'My sister, you're asking me the questions the police have already asked me.' She also added that Joshlin's school uniform was dirty and that she did not have money to buy washing powder. She then ended the call."
In a shocking turn of events, the mother of missing six-year-old Joshlin Smith, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, reportedly revealed to her class teacher that her daughter had been taken by boat to West Africa. The revelation came during a tense court session where Smith, alongside her… pic.twitter.com/TiDNCA09Tk
— newsnote (@newsnoteSA) March 12, 2025
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