There is an unfortunate disparity in the kind of outrage over cases of missing or abducted children in South Africa.

The national case officer for Missing Children SA, Bianca van Aswegen was speaking as the case of missing Joshlin Smith has dominated the media, even involving national police resources. But she says that 1 300 people are reported missing every month in South Africa.

She says that while there is an intense focus on finding people who were reported missing, authorities are reluctant to reveal the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and recovery. This is due to many of these cases still being under investigation, or because the leaking of an investigation could hamper the probe.