‘Profiting from our pain’: Petition grows against book on Joshlin Smith disappearance

A campaign is underway to block the release of a book about the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who went missing in Middelpos, Saldanha, on 19 February 2024.

The project, written by Greg Clifton, has been met with heavy criticism from search and rescue groups and grieving families, who accuse him of exploiting trauma for profit.

Search and rescue group leads the charge

Monthany Hendricks, founder of Atlantis Search and Rescue, has launched a petition urging publishers to pull the book.

“The number of missing children is not just a statistic. It represents real lives, real pain, and countless families who still wake up praying for answers,” Hendricks said.

She accused Clifton of turning grief into income.

“It is not a tribute. It is not awareness. It is exploitation, plain and simple. He is attempting to turn national pain into a marketing tool.”

At the time of publication, the petition had gathered over 600 signatures on Change.org.

Author defends the project

Clifton, who runs the non-profit Pay It Forward, rejected the claims. He told IOL the book is still in draft form and might not meet its planned 1 December 2025 release date.

He argued the story is not solely about Joshlin, but a broader account of his experiences in search operations, prison visits, and conversations with family members linked to the case.

“I never met Joshlin. I didn’t know about her until 20 February 2024,” Clifton said.

He detailed meetings with Joshlin’s mother Kelly Smith both before and after her life sentence for trafficking and kidnapping and with co-accused Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn in prison.

Clifton also said he had shared CCTV footage with Joshlin’s father, Jose ‘Josh’ Emke, who allegedly confirmed the child’s identity in the images.

Sensitive timing and public outrage

The backlash reflects broader anger in South Africa over how missing children’s cases are handled. Many families feel ignored once media attention fades, and Hendricks argues that publishing a book while Joshlin remains missing “is an insult to families still waiting for closure.”

Social media users echoed that view, with one comment reading: “We don’t need books, we need answers. Joshlin is still missing.”

Others argued Clifton’s intentions were misinterpreted, saying any documentation of the case could raise awareness of child trafficking.

What happens next

Despite the controversy, pre-orders are already open. Whether the backlash will stop the publication remains uncertain, but the debate has highlighted South Africa’s raw emotions around missing children.

For families still searching, the book is less about awareness and more about a question they keep asking: Who is truly speaking for the missing children?

{Source: IOL}

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