Joslin Smith Trial: Sister Claims Kelly Smith Enjoyed Attention from Gayton McKenzie

• Mickeyla Daniels testified that Kelly Smith enjoyed the attention she received from Gayton McKenzie
• Daniels, the sister to Kelly and aunt to Joslin, made the statement on 17 March 2025 during the ongoing trial
• Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, financially assisted the family following Joslin’s disappearance on 19 February 2024

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE – During the trial into the disappearance of Joslin Smith, her mother Kelly has been portrayed as a person who enjoyed the limelight she received after her daughter went missing.

The little girl went missing on 19 February 2024 from her Middlepos home, with Kelly Smith, Jacquin Appollis and Steveno Van Rhyn arrested in connection with the disappearance.

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Kelly’s sister, Mickeyla Daniels further painted the image of Kelly enjoying the attention during her testimony on 17 March at the Saldanha Bay Multipurpose Centre.

Daniels, who is Joslin’s aunt, noted that Kelly was thrilled to have Gayton McKenzie so invested in the case.

Daniels claims Kelly was happy with McKenzie’s financial assistance

During her testimony, Daniels claimed that her sister was more interested in talking about the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader than she was about Joslin.

The now Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture was heavily involved in the case from the beginning, even financially assisting the family.

The PA leader first met Kelly and her other children at a local Spur where he bought them food. Later, he bought them clothing and groceries. He even gave her a chance to share her side of the story in a Facebook Live video at the Spur. You can watch that interview here.

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It was McKenzie’s interest and assistance that Kelly liked, her sister claimed. Daniels testified that Kelly soon became happy and laughing after Gayton began financially assisting her.

“The more I asked her about Joslin, the more she told me about Gayton. She was happy,” Daniels testified.

What you need to know about the Joslin Smith trial

• Kelly admitted to smoking drugs on the day Joslin Smith disappeared from Middelpos.
• Witness claims that Kelly Smith told him that people wanted to buy her children, she asked for R20,000.
• Shakeera Ganief testified that Kelly was enjoying the attention she received in the weeks after Joslin disappeared.
• Joslin's Grade 1 teacher said Kelly told her Joslin was on a boat on her way to West Africa.
• Lourentia Lombaard testifies that the sangoma wanted Joslin for her eyes and skin.
• Mickeyla Davids claims Kelly told her where Joslin was days after her disappearance.

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Joslin Smith: Lourentia Lombaard said Kelly was allegedly paid to keep quiet about selling Joslin

Old video surfaces of McKenzie claiming Kelly is guilty

Briefly News previously reported that an old video of McKenzie talking about the Joslin Smith disappearance resurfaced.

The video showed the PA leader conducting an interview where he said he believed Kelly was guilty.

McKenzie was heavily involved in efforts to find Joslin, even offering a reward of R1 million.

Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News