EDITORIAL: How much longer must we wait?

Fifteen years ago, Magdalena Stoffels left for school, never to return again. At 17, her life was stolen in an act of brutality so senseless, it shook an entire nation. We marched. We protested. We vowed "never again".Magdalena’s killer was never found. Somewhere, a murderer walks free while her family carries a grief too heavy to name. They wake each morning to an absence that never fades, a wound that time refuses to heal.And still, nothing has changed.In the fifteen years since Magdalena’s light was extinguished, countless other children – daughters and sons – have been raped, brutalised and left to piece together the shattered remnants of their young lives. Each week brings fresh horror: a new police docket, a new child hurt by the very hands that should protect them – fathers, brothers, uncles.The blood of innocence soaks our soil, and the cries of our children are lost in the daily noise of our lives.Now, the town of Okahandja mourns. Two minors and a teenager had their lives stolen in acts too vile to comprehend. Once more, headlines scream. Once more, fists are raised. Once more, families wait for justice that cannot bring back what has been lost.But when the news cycle moves on, who will remain to bear witness to the families&#039; endless sorrow? Who will rage for the next child violated by a trusted hand or a lurking stranger?When will we stop counting the years since Magdalena&#039;s life was brutally ended and start counting the victories that protect our daughters and sons?Who comforts Magdalena’s family today? Who carries their grief into policy, into action, into real change?Fifteen years later, the most haunting question remains: How much longer must we wait?

EDITORIAL: How much longer must we wait?

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-29

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EDITORIAL: How much longer must we wait?

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-29

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