Hon Deputy Speaker, in its quest to always ensure that we create jobs and business opportunities, the ANC believes the potential areas that could contribute to this must be exploited. In the hydrogen energy area, while South Africa is unlikely to adopt large-scale hydrogen energy technologies, the possibility of creating jobs and business opportunities may rest with us servicing the emerging hydrogen economy segment.
Great potential exists if we begin to develop specific high-technology prototypes because high-impact components are of great interest to the world leaders in this technology. Given that South Africa is the main source of platinum-group metals and accounts for almost 76% of the global platinum supply, it would be in our interest to develop hydrogen-energy and fuel-cell technologies.
The Hydrogen South Africa System Competence Centre is working on related technologies, including improved batteries, super capacitors, membrane electrode assemblies and electrodes materials for lithium-ion batteries. It would therefore be beneficial for us to create potential within this area. [Applause.]