Cape Town mom in court for allegedly prostituting her teen daughter for milk money

A Cape Town mom accused of selling her teen daughter to have sex with the neighbour in exchange for milk money is set to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court. 

The shocking arrest of the 39-year-old mom comes after a relative found shocking text messages that revealed that the mother was allegedly aware her child was being sexually exploited, according to the Daily Voice. 

According to a Daily Voice source, the striking resemblance between the Parkwood mom and Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Joshlin Smith, saw curious cops gather. 

The insider says: "This case dates back a week and first started when a rape of a 15-year-old girl was reported.

"At the time, she said she was raped by her neighbour and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit opened the docket and he was arrested and charged. He went to Wynberg Magistrate's Court and then was sent to Pollsmoor." 

The source revealed on Friday, the girl and her aunt returned to the police station, as texts revealed that the mother was allegedly aware of her child's abuse.

The source adds: "The messages on the phone showed proof that the mother knew what was happening and sent her to sleep with the adult man for money.

"It appears the mother was using her, and you can even see the mother wanted money for milk. This is when the case of sexual assault was opened against the mother, and she was arrested in Parkwood.

"When she was arrested, everyone got such a fright because she looked just like Kelly [Smith]. Many people asked her how she could do this as a mother." 

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirms the arrest and says, "A 39-year-old female and a 55-year-old male were arrested on sexual assault charges. They will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 29 April 2025."

The Grassy Park Community Police Forum says they are unable to comment on the arrest as they were not informed of the incident. 

Caroline Peters of the Callas Foundation described the case as horrifying. 

Peters said: "This is heartbreaking and horrifying. A mother’s role is to protect and nurture her child, but in this case, she became a perpetrator of unimaginable betrayal and harm.

"Selling a 15-year-old girl is a form of trafficking and abuse. It is a crime against the child’s body, mind, and soul. She deserves justice, healing, and all the support to rebuild her life after such deep violation."

Peters revealed that over the years, they have seen similar cases where victims only speak up years later. 

She adds: "We have seen cases like this before where teen girls are sold to generate an income for the household, and so many times they are so traumatised they don’t speak for years, and it comes out later.

"Many of them are made to feel guilty if they say no because their siblings will suffer."

mahira.duval@inl.co.za

Daily Voice