A wave of grief and desperation swept through the town of Okahandja today, as hundreds, if not thousands, of residents, learners, and community leaders took to the streets in a mass protest over the horrific murders of three young girls.

Two of them were five and six years old, while the other was 15.

They were killed in separate incidents over a period of slightly more than a month.

The garden town of Namibia is now dubbed the town of corpses.

Three bodies belonging to little girls, the youngest at five years old, were discovered murdered and discarded.

Today's mass protest was led by Deputy Minister of Education Dino Ballotti as demonstrators marched through the town in a defiant call for justice.

Tears flowed freely, but so did chants of outrage as placards carrying strong messages pierced through the silence of mourning.

At the bridge where five-year-old Ingrid Maasdorp's body was found, Ballotti said someone out there knows something.

"Today is enough; it is the last time we ever come here for a young person to be killed. To the families, we mourn with you. You are in our thoughts. As a ministry we are here in solidarity; may the Lord comfort you."

The other victims are six-year-old Roswinds Fabian and 15-year-old Beyoncé !Kharuxas.

They too have become the faces of a community's agony.

Peneyambeko Elia, Roswinds Fabian's family member, said, "Thank you for the support; I honestly have nothing to say".

Late Beyoncé !Kharuxas' family member, Jacob |Aeseb said, "We will leave all to God; thank you for the support."

Learners from schools across Okahandja, accompanied by teachers and parents, stood shoulder to shoulder with local leaders in a show of collective grief and anger.

A 16-page petition drafted for the attention of the authorities and signed by close to 10,000 people was read by Okahandja resident Rosa Itolua.

"We, the undersigned, stand united in demanding urgent and decisive action against the horrific crimes of rape and murder in our community. Every individual deserves to live free from fear, violence and injustice. We call upon the relevant authorities to act, ensure swift and fair prosecutions and prioritise the protection and dignity of every citizen."

Deputy Minister Ballotti said his hope is for this to be the last time a protest of this nature is necessitated.

"I am here representing the government, and trust me, we are doing everything to bring the culprits to book. The 9,000 is not an accurate representation; consider that petition signed by the entire Namibia – about 3 million."

Over the weekend President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also visited the bereaved families, offering words of solidarity and a promise of national attention.