A new mob ile industrial cannabis processing facility in Empangeni is up and running and will be able to process 700 tons of hemp a year for the textile market.

That’s according to the KwaZulu Natal Hemp Association (KHA) chairperson, Sheldon ‘Bobby Greenhash’ Cramer (pictured above) who says there is French investment interest in the expanding local industrial cannabis value chain.

And in a seperate initiative, Maarten “Matatazela” Dippenaarl of the Zululand Hemp Association, says a project is underway to register Chinese hemp seeds locally for distribution in South Africa and abroad.

Cramer, better known to the cannabis industry as ‘Bobby Greenhash’, made the comments at the recent KHA annual general meeting at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg.

The Witness reported on 12 February 2025, that Cramer said the KHA had been recognized by the province’s Agriculture Department which was encouraging more farmers and entrepreneurs to join the sector.

“We have been involved in rural and subsistence farmer development,” said Cramer. “We are mentoring the whole value chain, from farmers to processors, but we need entrepreneurs who can spin off this and make products out of the fibre,”

He said there had been significant progress in the industry, such as a developing value chain and a new factory in Empangeni to process hemp.

A mobile processor in Richards Bay is also operational and expected to process 700 tons of hemp in the coming season.

Beyond production, discussions with a French-based entrepreneur are ongoing.

Henry de Villeneuve of CABASA recently toured the Empangeni facilities, signalling potential international partnerships.

Meanwhile, Maarten “Matatazela” Dippenaar, seed genetic overseer and director of the Zululand Hemp Company, has initiated trade with China’s textile industry.

Under his guidance, new hemp seed strains are being registered and cultivated.

“There will be nine strains, each suited for specific weather conditions such as drought. Once we register the seeds we’ve been importing from China, we can look at exporting countrywide and then worldwide,” Dippenaar said.

His 2024 trial crop yielded eight tons on two hectares of land—a milestone moment he recalled watching as a harvest was being loaded onto an interlink truck on a trial farm in eShowe.

Cramer said that hemp cultivation is regulated under a licence. To remain compliant with industrial hemp regulations, farmers must allow plants to grow to two metres before harvesting.

“As soon as the plants start flowering, they are no longer viable,” he said, explaining that failure to comply could result in licence revocation.

Despite the industry’s progress, a stigma remains.

First-time farmer Mimi Dwayisi, from the Ilembe district, faced resistance when trying to acquire land.

“We have three hectares available and people who are interested, but they are scared.

“People refuse to learn about the new ways of farming and the products we can make,” Dwayisi said.

“Businesses with high carbon outputs will be quick to invest in hemp farms, as hemp absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide. These investments would earn corporations carbon credits,” he said.

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