Organisation Fights To Prevent Publication of Book About Joslin Smith’s Disappearance
- An organisation mounted a campaign to prevent the publication of a book covering the disappearance of Joslin Smith in 2024
- This was after the founder of Pay it Forward, Greg Clifton, announced that he would be publishing a book on the case
- Atlantis Search and Rescue's president, Monthany Hendricks, condemned Clifton's upcoming book and accused him of monetizing the traumatic case
With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
Source: Getty Images
CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — The founder of Atlantis Search and Rescue, Monthany Hendricks, has launched a petition against the founder of Pay it forward, Greg Clifton, to prevent him from publishing his upcoming book on the disappearance of Joslin Smith, who disappeared in February 2024.
According to IOL, Hendricks accused Clifton of exploiting national trauma for profit. Hendricks said that the crisis of missing children in the country represents real pain, real lives, and the struggles that countless families who suffer in silence face.
Hendricks said that Clifton's book is an exploitation and an attempt to turn grief into income. She has demanded that the book be cancelled and launched a petition on Change.org, which has collected 627 signatures.
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Clifton responds to the petition
However, speaking to IOL, Clifton rejected the accusations and said the book focuses on his experiences, searches, and interactions with Kelly Smith, Joslin's mother, with whom he has spoken on numerous occasions.
He also said he spoke to Jacquin Appollis and Steveno Van Rhyn, who, along with Kelly, were found guilty of kidnapping and human trafficking. He added that he book would not disclose all the details to prevent compromising the South African Police Service's case.
Source: Getty Images
What you need to know about the Joslin Smith case
Joslin Smith's mother, Kelly, Appollis, and Van Rhyn were arrested in March 2024 in connection with Joslin's disappearance
- They pleaded not guilty to the charges of kidnapping and human trafficking, as their trial began in March 2025
- State witness, Lourentia Lombaard, testified that Kelly sold Joslin to a sangoma for R20,000 and shared the money with the accused
- They were found guilty of kidnapping and human trafficking, and they refused to testify during he case
- Judge Nathan Erasmus sentenced them to life imprisonment after they were found guilty
South Africans react
South Africans commenting on Facebook had different views.
Maryann Walters said:
"There's an unscrupulous person who also benefited from this kidnapping case."
Monique Liebenberg asked:
"Why write a book if there is no happy ending? This case, according to me, has not ended."
Susan Van Der Meree said:
"This book has to be stopped. How do you benefit from a missing 6-year-old?"
Wendy Bioshop said:
"Heartless society writing a book now when there is no closure."
Elizma Pensalfine said:
"Find her. Use the money to find Joslin instead of writing a book. She is out there."
Court rejects Kelly Smith's sentence appeal
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Western Cape High Court dismissed Smith, Appollis, and Van Rhyn's sentence appeal. This was after they were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Judge Erasmus said that he did not find sufficient reasons to grant the appeal.
Bail denied for one of the suspects arrested for 4-year-old child’s drug case
Briefly News reported that one of the four suspects arrested for making a little child smoke drugs in Newclare, Johannesburg, was denied bail when they appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrates' court on 22 August 2025.
According to SABC News, the presiding Magistrate Annalisa Tlhapi denied one of the suspects bail. She said that releasing him might increase the risk of his evading trial, and he might endanger other children in the area.
Tlhapi said that the suspect is facing serious charges and was also previously convicted on a drug possession charge. She added that the suspect poses a risk not only of smoking drugs but also of passing drugs to the child to smoke.
The four suspects, including the child's mother, were arrested on 30 July after a video of them forcing the toddler to smoke a drug pipe went viral. Community members and law enforcement apprehended the suspects, and they were arrested.
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Source: Briefly News
