Community members on Monday stood outside the Western Cape High Court, praying for a breakthrough before the kidnapping trial of Joshlin Smith.
The matter is in its fourth week since the commencement of the trial on 3 March.
Joshlin went missing from her Middelpos home on 19 February 2024.
Her mother Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, boyfriend, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis, and Steveno ‘Steffie’ van Rhyn were arrested and charged with kidnapping and human trafficking.
Charges were dropped against the fourth accused, Lourentia Lombaard, who turned state witness.
Community member Taylor Floors said they are anxiously waiting to hear what happened to Joshlin and that different church members have been getting together to pray.
“We are here to pray for a breakthrough in finding Joshlin and for Kelly and the other accused speak the truth, the real truth about what happened to the little girl.
“The community feels something should happen because we are heartbroken about what happened in Joshlin’s disappearance.
“We decided that on Monday morning we would then have a prayer service, we believe that God will bring out the truth.”
Lombaard had previously told the court sitting in White City Multipurpose Centre in Diazville, Saldanha, that she overheard Kelly’s plan to sell Joshlin.
She testified that she was outside the girl’s home when Kelly told Boeta she had sold Joshlin to a sangoma for R20,000.
On the same day, a white VW Polo arrived and Kelly with Joshlin went to the ‘sangoma’ who was dressed in green.
The following afternoon, Joshlin went to the car, and she was never seen again.
Lombaard told the court that she did not tell her boyfriend Ayanda Litoli about the plan.
Appollis’s lawyer Fanie Harmse continues to cross-examine the witness.