Deputy Speaker, before I ask my question, I must compliment the Minister on her dazzling outfit this afternoon. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
We support the deployment of the SA National Defence Force on our borders and recognise what they have achieved there. The fact is that we are not serious about safeguarding South Africa's borders, because we have more bodyguards protecting South Africa's Ministers and their mansions than soldiers protecting our borders.
We have 16 722 police protecting South Africa's Ministers, but only 1 050 soldiers protecting South Africa's borders. It's a monstrous political scandal. So I would like to ask the Minister if she agrees, in the light of these shocking facts, that what we really need is to ramp up the deployment of the SA National Defence Force on our borders beyond the 1 650 soldiers she envisages in this financial year. [Time expired.] [Applause.]