Project Indlela, (Indlela means the way forward in isiXhosa), the unifying project initiated by SACCA has proposed practical solutions to three critical regulatory gaps that remain unresolved in the development of the National Cannabis Master Plan:
· How legacy cannabis communities will be incorporated into a regulatory framework that gives them fair access to market; and
· How consumers will legally and safely access cannabis under new legislation, including clear provisions for consumer safety, product labelling and protection of minors.
· Defining a more Afrocentric perspective on licensing in order to accomodate traditional healers and growers.
Project Indlela is supported by a wide coalition of stakeholders and legacy communities, including the Marijuana Board of South Africa (MBOSA), the South African Cannabis and Hemp Development Association (SACHIDA) and Fields of Green for All (FGFA).
The initiative has also attracted the attention of key government policymakers, particularly Mr John Jeffery, now overseeing the dTIPS function responsible for policy formulation within the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of Science and Innovation.
Project Indlela’s proposals fit in with the DTIC’s IKS sandbox concept
Launched just two months ago, Project Indlela has gained rapid momentum in response to the absence of regulations governing the cannabis retail “grey zone” and the continued criminalization of legacy communities.
Project Indlela has hosted two stakeholder webinars in conjunction with Cannabiz Africa, with the aim of presenting Government with a cohesive set of draft regulations that will address non-government stakeholders in a commercialization policy.
One option under consideration is a “regional hub model”—a proposed framework connecting local government, legacy farmers, and private cannabis clubs within what has been termed an Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) “Sandbox”.
The IKS Sandbox, recognized by the DTIC, is a legal mechanism allowing the temporary suspension of certain regulations to enable innovation, experimentation and market development.
Legacy communities want an end to SAPS harrasment and the right to trade in cannabis
At the heart of the IKS challenge is the question of how South Africa’s legacy cannabis communities will be accommodated under new cannabis laws. Illegal growers, rural communities and traditional healers are intended to be key beneficiaries of cannabis reform, which has been championed as a tool for job creation and poverty reduction.
Yet, to date, these communities have remained marginalized by legislation and are still exposed to police harassment and arrests—impacts felt especially acutely among Rastafarian communities countrywide.
Jeffery, along with Deputy Minister for Public Administration, Pinky Kekana, attended the first webinar, themed Pathways to Legality, as observers, and noted that there is a widespread desire among most cannabis stakeholders to be legally compliant.
Jeffery told participants that a cannabis commercialization policy has been drafted by the DTIC and will be signed off by the Minister before being submitted to Cabinet in April next year. He reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to an inclusive and transparent policy process, with further extensive consultation expected before any regulations are finalised.
Project Indlela’s second webinar, Restoring the Roots, explored mechanisms to integrate legacy communities into a legal framework. Participants ranged from Khoisan communities in the Western Cape to traditional growers in Mpondoland operating under the Township Cannabis Incubator, a pilot project supporting illegal cannabis farmers in their efforts to ‘mainstream’.
Despite their diversity, legacy communities delivered a unified message to government: Stop police harassment and allow them to trade freely in their cannabis products.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about business,” says MBOSA co-founder Thabo Makwetla, whose organisation is building a grassroots network across all nine provinces. He emphasises that future cannabis laws must allow legacy communities to earn a living from their knowledge, and that an urgent review of the licensing regime is essential.
‘Definition of cannabis must become more Afro-centric and user-friendly’
Project Indlela convener and SACCA spokesperson Albertus van Jaarsveldt says the regulatory foundations must shift from a pharmaceutical, westernized policy-based approach, towards a community-centric self-regulatory based approach.
“We must seriously consider de-scheduling Cannabis in the Medicines and related substances act, which is based on outdated prohibition era laws, without sufficient evidence to support the logic behind strict Schedule 6 restrictions” says van Jaarsveldt.
“Keeping cannabis locked into the medicinal regulatory framework creates severe barriers to entry for civil society to participate in the economy. We need to unlock the economy for our legacy communities if we truly aspire to position South Africa as the cannabis capital of the world.
Van Jaarsveldt confirmed that a pilot IKS Sandbox project has already been launched along the Garden Route, involving Bitou Municipality, The CannaClub, Grow One Africa, Joint Venture Collective, legacy farmers, private club members and the Knysna Rastafarian community.
“The model can be expanded nationally and adapted to local conditions, says Van Jaarsveld “Project Indlela will also undertake a national cannabis survey in the new year to gather data necessary for finalising a stakeholder-driven compliance framework.”
According to Van Jaarsveldt, the DTIC’s willingness to engage with Project Indlela is “one of the most positive signals to come out of 2026” and establishes a strong basis for constructive government–industry collaboration going forward. “Our aim is to ensure that future cannabis legislation is inclusive, transparent and fair to all. Only then will South Africa develop a viable cannabis economy that plays to our inherent strengths.”
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