Thank you, Chair. According to the National Treasury, the key test for the National Credit Act's amendments was to give effect to new prudential regulatory objectives relating to the need for financial stability as a policy priority - meaning that no regulator should act in a way that can cause a systemic crisis - and to give effect to international commitments to make the financial sector safer.

At its 53rd national conference in December 2012, the ANC stated that -

As an integral part of the second phase of our transition from apartheid to a national democratic society, we need to accelerate growth and intensify our programme of economic transformation. Over the next five years, the ANC will take decisive and resolute action to overcome the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, which are at the heart of South Africa's socioeconomic challenges.

We intend to transform the structure of the economy through industrialisation; broad-based black economic empowerment; addressing the basic needs of our people, including women and youth; strengthening and expanding the role of the state and the role of state-owned enterprises.

The positive changes that the ANC seeks to make will not emerge spontaneously from the invisible hand of the market. The ANC-led government must play a central and strategic role by taking decisive action that is effective in addressing the social conditions of the masses of our people, and it must overcome the patterns of economic marginalisation by expanding the opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

In the past five years, the proportion of South African adults with access to banking services has increased from 60% in 2009 to 75% in 2013, while an amnesty for 5 million people with adverse credit records was initiated. The amending Bill will enhance this.

The National Credit Amendment Bill, when enacted, will positively contribute towards the continued development and implementation of the ANC's framework aimed at creating conditions conducive to sustainable livelihoods.

I want to end off by thanking our committee chairperson. Ngiyabonga, Baba. Sihlalo ... [Thank you, mister. Chairperson ...]

... for initiating this in the NCOP and in our committee. He was passionate about it. He was so passionate that he ignited all other members, including DA and Cope members, who were jumping up and down in their chairs when we started with this. But then they got other orders from somewhere up above - I think from Wale Street - to say "No, you do this and you do that." They are not independent thinkers, as the ANC members are.

Thank you very much, Sihlalo Gamede, for leading this committee in order to implement ANC policies. Thank you very much. Also, to the Minister: thank you very much, Minister. To Director-General October, and Deputy Director- General Ntuli, the biggest Chiefs-Pirates supporter in South Africa, thank you very much for the time and the effort in leading us up to the Bill. [Laughter.]

To our able, competent and always passionate Stormers supporter, PLO Saroj Naidoo; to the other members of the committee and to the ANC as a whole: Victory for South Africa has already started. Watch this space on 7 May 2014 at 12h00, when you will see the results. Victory will be ours. Forwards march, backwards never! Chair, I nearly said "amandla" [power], but I thank you. [Laughter.]