Hon Deputy Speaker, I rise to speak on the statement about the so-called "political agreement" with Cuba. The agreement that we signed last week with my Cuban counterpart was not the first one to be signed in this country. It was also not the first time that we brought to this country engineers who are water specialist.
We have made it known and clear in the statement that we issued how many such specialists - not in the health sector but in this sector of water - were brought into this country way before my arrival in this department. They have helped a great deal wherever they worked. [Interjections.]
We would also like to remind you that no statement has ever been made that 34 Cubans were coming. If you listen and read carefully, you will understand. We said that we were still going to have a recruitment process to find those specialists that we needed in this country. [Interjections.] "We will tell you", that is what I said. In case you ask the question as to how much it will cost, even that amount we will tell you at that time.
Another thing that I really want to say is that in this country we expect even the DA to at least be saying to us: This is what we think should be done in order for companies that are linked to you - which you are also in charge of - to absorb some of the young professionals who are suffering; those who are certificated but are able to be trained as professional engineers, because those companies are not able to take them in, train and mentor them.
Minister Blade Ndzimande is currently working on a programme to ensure that there is practical training that must happen within the sector of training, not only in universities, but also in FET colleges. Those are some of the measures that we are taking. [Time expired.] [Applause.]