ActionSA Welcomes Convictions in Joshlin Smith Murder Case
Press Statement by Dereleen James MP
ActionSA Member of Parliament
ActionSA welcomes the judgment handed down in the tragic case of Joshlin Smith, where her mother and co-accused were found guilty of kidnapping and related charges. While this outcome brings a measure of justice for Joshlin, we must be clear: the conviction alone does not resolve the systemic failure that allowed this tragedy to happen in the first place.
Joshlin’s story is not an isolated one. There are many more Joshin’s across South Africa – children left vulnerable in communities plagued by substance abuse, poverty, and a complete absence of functioning social services. These children are often left in the care of adults who are themselves in crisis, with no meaningful state intervention to protect them.
In the wake of this tragedy, we must ask: what has been done to protect other children across South Africa? The answer remains: not much. Government’s inaction speaks louder than its rhetoric. Just yesterday, a group of 17 trafficked children was rescued in Parkmore, Johannesburg. This comes on the back of similar horror discoveries: 26 individuals in Sandringham earlier this year, 90 in Sunningdale in August 2024, and 26 in Benoni in August 2023.
South Africa’s network of places of safety and child protection services is bursting at the seams. In many cases, children are removed from dangerous situations only to be returned to the very individuals who placed them at risk – simply because the state lacks capacity and political will to provide alternatives. This is not only a failure of governance; it is a betrayal of our most vulnerable.
The children of South Africa, including those trafficked deserve protection and justice.
ActionSA Welcomes Convictions in Joshlin Smith Murder Case
ActionSA welcomes the judgment handed down in the tragic case of Joshlin Smith, where her mother and co-accused were found guilty of kidnapping and related charges. While this outcome brings a measure of justice for Joshlin, we must be clear: the conviction alone does not resolve the systemic failure that allowed this tragedy to happen in the first place.
Joshlin’s story is not an isolated one. There are many more Joshin’s across South Africa – children left vulnerable in communities plagued by substance abuse, poverty, and a complete absence of functioning social services. These children are often left in the care of adults who are themselves in crisis, with no meaningful state intervention to protect them.
In the wake of this tragedy, we must ask: what has been done to protect other children across South Africa? The answer remains: not much. Government’s inaction speaks louder than its rhetoric. Just yesterday, a group of 17 trafficked children was rescued in Parkmore, Johannesburg. This comes on the back of similar horror discoveries: 26 individuals in Sandringham earlier this year, 90 in Sunningdale in August 2024, and 26 in Benoni in August 2023.
South Africa’s network of places of safety and child protection services is bursting at the seams. In many cases, children are removed from dangerous situations only to be returned to the very individuals who placed them at risk – simply because the state lacks capacity and political will to provide alternatives. This is not only a failure of governance; it is a betrayal of our most vulnerable.
The children of South Africa, including those trafficked deserve protection and justice.