There are still hidden secrets in the cannabis fields in the mountains of Mpondoland.
The region’s landraces, which have been marginalized by the stampede for imported commercial strains preferred by consumers, face a new lease of life as new discoveries unfold as to their medical benefits. It’s ironic that Mpondoland landraces, devalued to the ‘majat in a matchbox’ category, may emerge as one of South Africa’s major contributions to international cannabis medicine.
Mpondoland cannabis is still being studied, by early indications are that its combination of compounds are potentially a treatment for breast cancer. Living proof of this was evident at the Cheeba Cannabis and Hemp Summit, where western Mpondoland breast cancer survivor Lungi Nonkwelo stood up and told delegates that in 2011 she had been given three months to live. She said thanks to medical cannabis intervention she survived the odds and was here to tell the tale.
Mpondoland Cannabis Belt Association (MBCA) co-founder Philasande Mahlakata said she was aware of nine different strains for which indigenous knowledge heritage recommended different planting seasons. She also said some of these had immense medicinal value including cancer-treating properties. Mahlakata said scientists were only beginning to understand Mpondoland landraces and there were still mysteries ahead that still needed to be uncovered.
MBCA secretary-general Snoux Poswa told the Summit that the region’s landraces did not have only medical value, but offered full spectrum benefits.
Mahlakata and Poswa have been hard at work in the Eastern Cape, reconsolidating the MCBA, which had largely become dysfunctional. With them at the Expo was OR Tambo District Municipality executive Liso Nqintiza who has played a major supporting role for the MCBA, which represents thousands of cannabis farmers across nine provincial district municipalities with over 225 wards.
This is the heartland of legacy cannabis in South Africa, including the districts of O.R. Tambo, Port St. Johns, Nyandeni, Ntabankulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Ingquza Hill.
Nqintiza, Majhlakata and Poswa met the SACDC’s Gareth Prince and others in the VIP room at the Cannabs Expo on 29 May 2026 to discuss a strategy to protect landraces and co-ordinate public-private partnerships and media relations.
Contrary to popular belief, says Poswa, Mpondoland does have industrially viable landrace strains . Although some local strains had been lost to hybridisation, there was ongoing work to profile them.
“We are not only trying to claim these strains, we’re also trying to identify those varieties and their characteristics and to see whether they have been registered” said Poswa. He added that local landraces were being genetically profiled with Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) support. He said seedbanks in the region were informal (‘glass bottles on dark shelves’) and that these needed to be properly organzed into formal seedbanks.
He said Mpondoland cannabis had full-spectrum applications, not only for medicinal value. He explained that local strains had a different levels of THC and could be used for industrial and nutrional purposes as well as medicinal and adult-use. He said there was an urgent need for farmers to be able to add value to their crops as currenly most were producing only flower.
During a panel discussion at the Summit on whether Mpondoland genetics could be turned into a global brand, the answer was powerfully in the affirmative.
The MCBA’s Mahlakata said she was aware of nine different strains for which indigenous knowledge heritage recommended different planting seasons. She also said some of these had immense medicinal value including cancer-treating properties.
Snoux and Mahlakata detailed the following steps being taken to preserve their region’s landraces.
– Strategic partnerships with stakeholders including South African Cannabis and Hemp Alliance (SACHA) and government, which was in the process of procuring a freeze drier among other equipment.
– Improving cultivation methods in order to preserve landraces
– Ensuring cultivation methods were properly followed to guarantee quality
– Mobilise and help formalise indigenous farmers
– Identifying various landrace seed properties and their suitable end products
– Establish TIA-supported innovation and entrepreneurship centres in the region
– Tracing and supporting partner farmers
At the end of the day, Mpondoland cannabis farmers needed to be able to make money from selling their cannabis, said Poswa. With a big smile he appealed to the Cheeba Summit delegates, “You whites here don’t need to teach us how to speak English. Just buy our weed!.”
Man has a point!
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