Chairperson, I want to take this opportunity to thank the chairperson of the portfolio committee, members of the portfolio committee and all parties who supported this Bill. I agree with them that some of these weapons kill people long after the conflict has ended. That is how dangerous some of them are.
I'm happy that the concerns of the defence industry were taken into account. Of course it would be impossible to satisfy the defence industry because as far as they are concerned, this Bill, to a certain extent, affects their businesses. But, unfortunately we have committed ourselves as the government and especially as the Department of Defence to peace, and we want to make sure that there is peace in the world. The only unfortunate thing that we know is that there will not always be peace in the world. When there is war we must be able to know how we limit our effort to make sure that there is peace.
I want to assure members that this convention does not affect in any way our ability to fight wars. We can fight wars and we are capable of defending our country. Many of us had agreed that this conference deals with the injurious and indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians.
I again want to thank everybody and I am also very happy, as a man of God, to hear and see that South Africans are committed to peace. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time.