Deputy Speaker, we certainly want to endorse our support for the wonderful initiative by the Department of Science and Technology in relation to the National Science Week. We have had the benefit of sharing and launching the National Science Week with the MEC for Education in the Northern Cape province.
Deputy Speaker, this initiative is extremely important, given the importance of science in changing the quality of the lives of our people. For example, in the context of the launch of the Science Week in the Northern Cape, they were able to demonstrate the importance of science and technology with regard to the SALT initiative, the SA Large Telescope, as well as the Square Kilometre Array, SKA, where we are bidding for a global first in terms of technology.
What this initiative has also done in the context of the Northern Cape and other provinces is elevate the importance of astronomy and the huge opportunities that present themselves to the people.
During the National Science Week, the importance of science in agriculture, science and ICT, and science in civil and mechanical engineering is stressed. These careers basically are introduced to learners who visit the sites. So we would certainly want to thank the Department of Science and Technology for the collaboration and say that this is one amongst many other initiatives were we work collaboratively. For example, the mathematics and science olympiads are another example of how, through a collaborative exercise, we are able to ensure that the participation of black learners in terms of these initiatives are increased quite dramatically. Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. [Applause.]