Joslin Smith Trial: Steveno Van Rhyn Laughs at Lourentia Lombaard’s Dream of Being a Model

• The Joslin Smith trial continues into its third week and Lourentia Lombaard is back on the stand facing cross-examination
• She revealed that she has always wanted to be a model and believes that she can still achieve the dream
• Steveno Van Rhyn, who stands accused of Joslin's disappearance, snorted and laughed at her during the proceedings

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

SALDANHA BAY — The state's witness at the Joslin Smith trial testified on 24 March 2025 that she has always wanted to be a model. Accused Steveno van Rhyn could not stop himself from laughing at her during the proceedings.

What happened in court?

Lombaard was facing cross-examination from the defence attorneys. Lombaard was a suspect and was among those who were arrested for the disappearance of Joslin Smith, who disappeared from her Diazville home in Saldanha Bay on 18 February 2024. However, she turned state witness and began her testimony in the second week of the trial. Van Rhyn, alongside Joslin's mother Kelly and Jacquin Appollis, is facing charges of kidnapping and human trafficking and has been in custody since their arrest in 2024.

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During the cross-examination by Appollis's legal representative, Nobahle Mkabayi, Lombaard, colloquially known as Renz, gave insight into the dreams she had as a child. Mkabahyi questioned her about her upbringing and what she aspired to be. Renz said that she had always dreamt of being a model. Mkabayi then asked her what happened to the dream and she replied:

"I'm not in a hurry to get there, but I will get there."

Van Rhyno laughs

Upon hearing the revelation, Van Rhyno laughed as the camera panned to him. He covered his mouth with his hand while laughing. The judge also asked Renz to describe how she smoked mandrax and said there were different methods to ingest the drug. Renz giggled and was amused that the judge knew so much about mandrax. Mkabayi also asked her if she would be able to keep a straight face when modelling because she liked to laugh.

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Joslin Smith Trial: Lourentia Lombaard cracks under cross-examination and seemingly changes story

Lourentia Lombard's involvement in the trial

Lombaard began her testimony on 9 March, and on the second day, she revealed that Kelly Smith sold her daughter to a sangoma for R20,000. She added that Kelly was content with receiving R5000 if R20,000 was too much.

Lombaard also revealed that the sangoma who allegedly bought Joslin wanted her for her eyes and skin. She further revealed that a stranger paid Kelly an undisclosed sum of money to prevent her from speaking to the authorities about her daughter's disappearance. When she faced cross-examination on 19 March, Appollis's lawyer questioned her version of events and poked holes in it.

What you need to know about Kelly Smith's trial

• Kelly was allegedly high on drugs the day she disappeared, according to one of the witnesses in the trial
• A social worker revealed that Kelly once threatened to stab her grandmother and her mother in 2018
• Kelly's sister revealed during her testimony that Kelly told her that Joslin was still in Saldanha Bay seven days after her disappearance
• She also said that Kelly enjoyed the attention that Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie gave her after Joslin went missing
• A psychic questioned Lombaard's claims and alleged that she channelled Joslin's spirit from beyond the grave

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Joslin Smith trial: Defence lawyer pokes holes in Lombaard’s testimony during cross-examination

Kelly's brother distances his family from Kelly Smith

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a man believed to be Kelly's Smith distanced himself and his family from her. He also called for the public not to focus on his sisters' appearances after Kelly and her younger sister, MicKeyla Davids, were compared.

The brother wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post that Kelly grew up with her grandmother because their mother was not financially stable at the time. He slammed her and said she did not deserve to be a mother.

Source: Briefly News