Groot Aub Secondary School learners, along with residents, held a demonstration to raise awareness on child safety.

This is due to kidnapping, rape and murder cases that have remained unsolved over the years.

The learners stressed the need for increased surveillance and police presence to be able to identify those who may wish to cause them harm, as they now live in fear because of the many unsolved cases.

They also raised their concerns about children being sent home due to minor dress code violations exposing them to danger outside the schoolyard.

Learners handed over the petition to the Groot Aub Police Station, demanding that they carry out their civil duty to the best of their ability and ensure the safety of all community members, especially that of the most vulnerable.

Organiser Sentasia Dirkse said, "As young girls, we now find ourselves wondering: Are we safe? This is no way for a child to live. Gone are the days that we could walk freely and safely in our own streets. Now we constantly have to look over our shoulders and wonder if every exchange that we have could be our last. We are children. We should not have to live in fear simply for being children. And so we have gathered here today not just to raise our voices in protest but to respectfully ask for your support in making our community safer. After all, this is the mandate of our security apparatus: to ensure the safety of every Namibian, more especially the most vulnerable in our society."

Detective Warrant Officer Anton Hoaeb received the petition on behalf of the station commander.

"We hereby acknowledge your petition. As I'm saying, the station commander is out of the office on leave. But once she is back in the office, the petition will be handed to the station commander as well as being processed by the relevant authorities within the Namibian police, so you can also get our feedback on time if needs be. So we acknowledge the receiving of your petition. Thank you."b