Soweto Cannabis Association (SCA) has invited all stakeholders to its Global Cannabis March solidarity gathering at Uncle Tom’s Hall in Orlando on 2 May 2026. The event is co-hosted by 420 Central and will be both a feeder gathering to the larger march at Pieter Roos Park in Johannesburg but is being principally billed as an ‘After March’.
“The initiative brings together growers, entrepreneurs and community members to engage on issues of cannabis policy, economic inclusion and access,” says the SCA, noting that it will create an inclusive space for local participation.
The Soweto gathering is a fully-fledged ceremony that centralises local participation althoughcommunity members who wish to attend the main Johannesburg march will be provided with transport.
“The aim is to bring together people within the cannabis community in their locality to stand for the issues they have identified in their community. Chief among these is the policing problem whether as a user or as a seller,” SCA Chairperson Tia Ramfate told Cannabiz News. “It is to say we’re the cannabis community of Soweto and we exist, despite all we’ve been through,” adds Tia, noting that unnecessary stop-and-search occurrences continue to trouble the already over-policed area.
Part of the considerations that led to the march was mobility affordability. “We do not need to question whether people are able to travel since we will be doing it locally,” said 420 Central owner, Rory Blake Taylor. Indeed, inequality is one of the event’s main drivers.
“It’s much easier to set up a cannabis club in certain communities like the suburbs. That however is not the case with rural areas and townships where numerous enormous challenges prevent participation,” argues Tia. The same areas also lacked in education and awareness, points outTia. “We’re trying to see that people are ready by the time reform catches up,” she explains.
“There’s a disproportionate policing of black South Africans in what is essentially the route-to-market. The cannabis is not coming into town, it has always been in town,” notes Rory. “The people in the ‘kasi’ (township) just want to open businesses and trade and it is high time that the SAPS started to listen up to allow entrepreneurial access to cannabis. They need to understand the people in the trade are their family members and need to stand down and support them,”contends Rory, adding that Soweto arguably has the highest cannabis per capita consumption in Africa. “The route-to-market already exists and has existed for years but is not being considered. How are we protecting the area’s people?”
It was such issues that made it imperative that the collaboration gathering be convened within thecontext and lived experience of the people, Tia stated. “This approach ensures that Soweto residents are not excluded from this important global moment,” a CSA statement noted.
The gathering will feature music and speakers among others. Attendees can RSVP the After March form at https://form.jotform.com/RoryTaylor/soweto-cannabis-association–global
The departure from Uncle Tom’s Hall is 9am and space is available on a first come first served basis.
Pictured Above Soweto Cannabis Association’s Tia Ramfate, flanked by colleagues
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