Thank you, Deputy Speaker. May I firstly apologise on behalf of Rev Meshoe for his absence.
Arising from your response, hon Minister, it is clear that the issue of lost firearms is a matter of grave concern to all of us, given that such lost firearms usually end up in the hands of criminals who use them to commit crime. We are grateful for what you have advised us, but 1 497 is clearly an alarming number. We welcome the fact that you are taking additional steps.
You might not be in a position to do so now, but could you possibly advise us whether disciplinary action is instituted in cases, and if so how many? Then, of course, could you advise us whether the police department is taking, generally, steps to improve management and control mechanisms in order to reduce the high number of firearms lost in the Police Service as we go forward? Thank you, Deputy Speaker.