Madam Deputy Speaker, I just want to confirm, in response to the hon Maynier, that the hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans has taken extensive steps to address the challenges that she encountered when she became Minister in this department.
We have to acknowledge the steps she has taken to improve the conditions of service, the status of the Defence Force and the provisions that the Defence Force requires in order to carry out its work.
Secondly, I understand that, in terms of sensitivity training, apparently the hon Ellis has excellent skills in this regard and, perhaps, should offer Ms Bridges some assistance! [Interjections.]
With respect to the concern about job losses expressed by the hon Ngonyama, clearly this is a concern that all of us share and government, through its new growth strategy, is working with the relevant sectors to establish what steps can be taken to improve the employment situation in our country.
However, we don't see ourselves assuming the role of running any of the banks in our country; and therefore I was asked by the hon Nzimande to invite the hon Ngonyama - not in November, but in October next year - to join the Red October Campaign to assist and support the Communist Party in its campaign on banks. [Laughter.]
I also would like to welcome the statement by the hon Ngcobo recognising and referring to the SA Risk and Vulnerability Atlas, which has been developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, with support from our department, to improve geographic earth observation in the world.
We are very pleased that the atlas has been welcomed by many colleagues and researchers. Recently colleagues at the geographic Earth Observation Summit indicated an interest in using the model of the SA Risk and Vulnerability Atlas to develop their own observation technology along the lines of the technology that has been developed in our country. So we are very pleased that we have developed a mechanism that assists us to monitor climate change and its impact, as well as to alert communities well in time in order to address the management of disasters that often confront communities before they have a full warning to take appropriate action. Thank you very much. [Applause.]