Deputy Speaker, I have been delegated to lead the country's artisan's advocacy campaign. As part of the national roll-out of the 2013 Year of the Artisan programme, I hosted a breakfast meeting with Life Orientation teachers from the Idutywa and Butterworth districts in the Eastern Cape on 22 August 2013 to start a formal conversation with these teachers on the importance of artisan development in the country.
On this occasion I outlined that the National Development Plan, NDP, requires that by 2030 we produce at least 30 000 qualified artisans per year. Currently, we, as an economy, have been producing, over the last five years, an average of 14 000 qualified artisans per year. By this, I was simply demonstrating to the Life Orientation educators the need to double our output over the next 17 years.
Now, being a champion of this important campaign that speaks to both the employment prospects of our youth and economic sustainability of our country, I could not have said 1 400 because I deal with these specific matters on a daily basis. The hon member was clearly not present at this event because I could have acknowledged him. However, I wish to invite him to future events so that his line of questioning, which I gladly accept, could be in sync with the facts. This will help the hon member to not rely on hearsay because I'm certain that I was misquoted by whoever was present on his behalf. Thank you very much. [Applause.]