Speaker, the ANC believes that the world in which we live is highly dependent on science and technology to improve the social and economic lives of South Africans, hence the opening of a science centre at the University of North West Mafikeng Campus on Thursday, 30 August 2010, is crucial in strengthening grass-roots science awareness campaigns.
The science centre will benefit learners, students and the public in Mafikeng and adjacent areas. It will play an important role in helping people gain an understanding of how human activity is warming the climate, what impact that will have on food and water security and, crucially, what needs to be done to slow or reverse the warming trend.
Our lives are immeasurably improved by science and engineering. The opening of the science centre marks an important milestone in the community engagement programme of the North West University. The ANC supports this initiative and believes that the task of taking science to all corners of the country is a huge one that no single individual or organisation can carry out alone. Thank you. [Applause.]