Joshlin Smith: A six-year-old’s disappearance spreads fear in South Africa’s Saldhana Bay
Inside a busy primary school classroom in the South Africa seaside town of Saldanha Bay, one chair is left empty. This is where six-year-old Joshlin Smith sits – or sat until she went missing in February in a case that has gripped the attention of South Africans. The huge search operation that involved the navy as well as local volunteers, the big reward and the arrest of her mother have served to make this an irresistible story. But the community living with its day-to-day reality remains scared. Saldanha Bay, about 120km (75 miles) north-west of Cape Town, has the reputation of being a tranquil, quaint town known for its fishing, watersports and magnificently colourful wildflowers that bloom in spring in the town’s nature reserve. Despite the end of apartheid 30 years ago, the spatial planning in Saldanha, like most cities and towns in South Africa, still reflects the inequalities bequeathed by the system of separate and unequal development. As one enters the town through the business district, the upmarket housing, which includes guest houses and holiday homes, is located close to the coastline. But when going into the areas of Diazville and Middelpos, which comprise a mixture of low-cost and informal housing, there is a noticeable change. The homes in Diazville are mostly government-subsidised basic brick and mortar structures, known as RDP (part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme) homes. In the adjacent Middelpos area there’s a mixture of RDP homes and corrugated iron shacks built on an open field. There is a marked sense of anxiety and suspicion in the two communities, particularly when they see an outsider or a car that is not from the area. Faeeza Ecksteen, one of the parents who was prepared to talk, was at the school Joshlin attended to fetch her six-year-old son Aleem. If you are looking to order local products, handcraft, custom clothes, various books, handmade arts, furniture’s, food spices etc. please, visit our web page at www.ethio-amazon.com. Or send us your request at email contact@ethio-amazon.com you can also contact us on WhatsApp at +2519-44-36-97-53 Additionally, if you would be interested to socialize and looking for a new friend around the world, for future partnership… visit our web page at www.contactyourlifepartner.com We believed that love can happen anytime, anywhere in a world filled with endless possibilities… for more information contact us at Email contact@ethio-amazon.com or Call us at +2519-44-36-97-53 (WhatsApp) , + 6676539901 (international) Source ( BBC News )
