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Cannabiz-Africa is your hub for all cannabis news and resources. Everything from breaking news, cannabis politics, business investments, legal policies and a marketplace network where we connect you with local businesses. Be in the know with the hottest, freshest and most up-to date hemp movements. LEGAL NEWS FEATURE Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act Read More The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. 24 Hour bail hotline call 0631740938 CANNABIZ AFRICA LEGAL DESK Your guide to the latest news and views on legal developments in the African Cannabis Industry. Keep up to date with policy changes, court cases, corporate activity, activism and news from the legislature. Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act 28 March 2025 at 09:00:00 The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Read More Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud 28 March 2025 at 07:45:00 It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward. Read More UN Bans HHC or ‘Synthetic Cannabis’ for Worldwide Non-Medical Use 27 March 2025 at 07:00:00 South Africa voted along with 49 other nations to ban hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) at the UN Commission on Psychotropic Substances (CND) in Vienna earlier this month. HHC, which is synthetically derived and similar in effect to THC, has been widely available legally in many parts of the US and Europe. Read More Vayej: ‘The President’s Call to Lift ‘The Ban’ Is Pivotal to Moving Towards Industry Transparency’ 26 March 2025 at 20:00:00 Open Farms chairman Shaad Vayej says the President’s move to lift ‘The Ban’ signals a much needed shift towards as transparency and stakeholder engagement in formulating future policy. Read More Silverleaf’s Weiss: President’s Rapid Response Lifting The Ban Bodes Well, Let’s Give Enabling Legislation the Same Urgency 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 The Director of South Africa’s first dedicated cannabis investment fund, Silverleaf Investments, Darryl Weiss (pictured here), says he didn't expect the President’s decisiveness in lifting the controversial cannabis in foodstuffs ban. He says the same urgency should be applied in following this through with enabling legislation to unlock the domestic cannabis market. Read More Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Read More Thanks to the Health Minister SA Now Has One of the Most Restrictive Food Policies in the World 25 March 2025 at 10:45:00 South Africa now has one of the most restrictive food policies in the world following the ban on hemp foodstuffs. Open Farms chairman and attorney, Shaad Vayej (pictured here), says government should be aligning with international best practice in developing the hemp sector, but has instead imposed “a backward-looking restriction that harms businesses, limits consumer access, and contradicts prior regulations.” Read More ‘He Needs to be Charged or Fired!’ CTAA Prepares Interdict, Says Health Minister has been ‘Criminally Negligent’ 25 March 2025 at 07:00:00 The push-back is gaining momentum as more cannabis stakeholders gear up for lawfare against the hemp foodstuff ban. The CTAA is to preparing to file an interdict against the Health Minister, saying his actions could be construed as criminally negligent, and “he needs to be charged or fired.” Read More Minister of Madness: “Absurd” Ban Puts Paid to Govt Funded Project to Develop Hemp-based ‘Superfood’ for School Feeding Schemes 24 March 2025 at 13:30:00 The DoH issued a research permit to Druids Garden to investigate nutrition in hemp. The project got traction and was funded by government entities and developed in collaboration with the CSIR and seven years later there’s an amazing hemp-based porridge perfect for school feeding schemes. What a great story…..except the self-same DoH has now banned it! Read More W Cape Slams 'The Ban' as a ‘Direct Assault on Economic Growth and Job Creation’ 24 March 2025 at 06:30:00 The Western Cape’s plan to develop a cannabis and hemp economy has been derailed by the Health Minister’s ‘ill-considered” blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Ivan Meyer, the province’s Agriculture MEC, says central government must move swiftly to reverse the ban before further damage is done. Read More The Ban: Here Comes the First Legal Challenge Along With Claims for Millions in Damages 23 March 2025 at 08:30:00 Hemp businessman Hennie Venter is leading the legal charge against the Health Minister with a court application to have the cannabis foodstuff ban overturned. He says he is bringing the action on behalf of all entrepreneurs who have seen their investments “go down in flames” because of the ban. Read More Ministers Run for Cover as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Turns Into a Political Issue and Heads for the Courts 22 March 2025 at 10:00:00 Two weeks after Dr Aaron Motsoaled’s shock ban on cannabis in foodstuff, the Health Minister has yet to make a public statement or explain the intentions behind his actions which have wreaked havoc beyond the hemp industry. Neither has the DTIC nor the Presidency said a word about the major policy blunder that has derailed the Cannabis Master Plan and now become a political issue. Read More PM Keichel Warns Foodstuff Ban is Binding Even Though It is Legally Flawed 22 March 2025 at 07:30:00 As absurd as the hemp foodstuff ban may be, it is legally binding until such time as the Minister rescinds it or it is set aside by a court. That's just how it is, says leading cannabis lawyer Paul Michael Keichel even though legal commentators have slammed the ban as 'unconstitutional', 'illogical' and 'unenforcable'. Read More Cannabis Master Plan Descends into ‘Omnishambles’ as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Reveals Serious Faultlines at Cabinet Level 19 March 2025 at 20:30:00 Seven years after Government unveiled the Cannabis Master Plan, the sad truth has been laid bare: “There is no commercialization policy, there is no economic or industrial strategy, there is no plan”. That’s the view of leading private sector cannabis consultant M Ayanda Bam, who says all the stakeholder engagement with government now seems to have been a waste of time. Read More Make Them Pay! Call for Govt Officials Responsible for the Hemp Foodstuff Ban to be Held Personally Liable for Damages 19 March 2025 at 10:00:00 As damages from the hemp foodstuff ban mount with no sign of the Health Ministry backing down, lawyers are being briefed to put together a court challenge. Industry anger is growing as millions of rand are being lost, and now there’s a call for responsible officials to be sued in their personal capacity. Read More Health Minster Had Already Decided on the Hemp Foodstuff Ban Before SONA, so Why Didn’t He Tell the President? 19 March 2025 at 08:00:00 Over 1 000 businesses and 400 SMME’s have been affected by the Health Minister’s ‘inexplicable’ ban on hemp foodstuffs and are bleeding millions of rand. The shock announcement has derailed the President’s cannabis vision and laid bare the policy rot at the core of the Cannabis Master Plan Read More DTIC: ‘Stop Dealing in Cannabis-Related Foodstuff Until Such Time as the Ban May Be Lifted’ 18 March 2025 at 18:30:00 The DTIC says although the ban on hemp foodstuffs does not fit in with the Cannabis Master Plan, the law is the law, and dealing in all such products “must cease”. It said it would engage with the Department of Health to relook at the ban but offered little solace to stakeholders who stand to lose millions of rand in the meantime. Read More Minister a ‘No Show’ for Hemp Webinar But Senior Health Official Says Stakeholder Concerns ‘Will Be Addressed’ 18 March 2025 at 15:00:00 Senior Health officials have started ‘walking back’ the controversial ban on hemp foodstuffs saying it’s part of a ‘regulatory process’ and that the Minister will ‘address the concerns raised’ by the hemp industry. Read More Namibia: Definition of Dealing Under Scrutiny in the Courts 17 March 2025 at 11:30:00 Namibian law assumes anyone found with over 115 gm of cannabis is guilty of dealing. That definition is being contested in the Windhoek High Court where a Keetmanshoop man convicted of having 241 gm in his possession was convicted as a drug dealer. Read More ‘Suspend the Ban, Let’s Talk Guidelines for Cannabis in Foodstuff’ 17 March 2025 at 06:30:00 Top Government officials are being drawn into the Health Department's ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Lawyer Charl Botha has written to the President saying the ban is unconstitutional and should be suspended while proper regulatory guidelines are put in place. Read More Hemp Organization Suspicious of Motivation Behind Ban, Threatens Court Action 15 March 2025 at 11:00:00 Hemp activists are mobilizing resources to take on the Minister of Health’s surprise ban on cannabis in all foodstuffs. FOHSA says its prepared to challenge the ban in court as it is unconstitutional and is concerned about what the real reasons behind the restrictions are. Read More Cannabis-Infused Foods on the Rise Worldwide, Highlighting Need for International Guidelines 15 March 2025 at 10:00:00 There are undisputed therapeutic and nutritional benefits associated with cannabis-infused foodstuff and around the world consumer demand is rising for such products. However, there are no international guidelines protecting consumers and a framework needs to be put in place. Read More Health Dept Moves to Calm Industry Nerves: ‘Cannabis Food Ban is Start of Regulatory Process’ 15 March 2025 at 07:00:00 Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale says the recent sudden ban of cannabis in foodstuffs was done in the name of consumer safety. He hinted that the ban would not be permanent but the start of a regulatory process to assess cannabis products before they appear on shelves. Read More Health Minister Agrees to Face the Nation on Cannabis Foodstuff Ban 14 March 2025 at 12:45:00 Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has agreed to appear on a Cheeba emergency stakeholder webinar on the crisis facing the hemp industry following last week’s cannabis foodstuff ban. To date the Minister has not explained his reasons for the surprise ban but he’s expected to do so next Tuesday, 12h00 along with a range of other guests on the Webinar entitled, What the Hemp. REGISTER HERE Read More Food, Beverages and The Cannabis Ban: What the Law Says 14 March 2025 at 11:30:00 The cannabis and health food industry is still reeling from last week’s ban on cannabis in all food and beverages. The ban will be a hard hit for legitimate businesses in this sector, while the ‘grey zone’ will do as it always pleases. Brett Pollack from cannabis consultancy Harambe Solutions offers a legal perspective Read More SA Cannabis Reform Now Seriously Unravelling; Can DTIC’s New Team Fix the Mess Created by Other Departments? 18 March 2025 at 09:30:00 It’s been six months since the DTIC was given responsibility for the National Cannabis Master Plan and since then cannabis reform has fragmented and turned ugly. The Department is putting together a special team to tackle cannabis commercialization, but without effective leadership at the top, it's being tasked with ‘mission impossible’. Read More Business Owners Guide to Dealing with the Edibles Ban 12 March 2025 at 17:00:00 Here's a practical guide as to what the ban on cannabis in all foodstuffs means for the business owner. Read More Health Minister's Cannabis Foods Ban Unleashes a Chorus of Condemnation 12 March 2025 at 13:00:00 Health Minister Aaron Mostoaledi’s decision to ban cannabis in foodstuffs has revealed the deep policy faultlines running through Government and widespread condemnation from industry stakeholders. The ban threatens to derail the National Cannabis Masterplan and undermines the President’s commitment to developing the hemp industry. Read More Appeal to President: 'Retract the Ban on Cannabis in Foodstuff, It Could Kill the Hemp Industry 12 March 2025 at 09:45:00 Hemp seeds have been regularly available on South African shelves for four decades and are now outlawed under the Health Minister's surprise ban on cannabis in foodstuff. The ban is bad news for the hemp industry generally and Cheeba Cannabis Academy has written an open letter to President Ramaphosa urging him to immediately rescind the ban before further harm is done. Read More Applications Open: DTIC Seeks Project Manager for Cannabis Master Plan 12 March 2025 at 07:00:00 The DTIC has restructured and seeking a project manager for the National Cannabis Master Plan: You're Interested? Apply Here Read More Shock Announcement! Health Minister Suddenly Bans Cannabis in All Foods and Beverages! 11 March 2025 at 08:45:00 In an astounding regulatory development, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, has issued a notice banning the use of cannabis in foodstuffs. The announcement in the Government Gazette of 7 March 2025, has left cannabis stakeholders stunned, as this flies in the face of the Presidency’s cannabis vision and undermines the National Cannabis Master Plan. Read More SAPS Reveals ‘Da Culture’ is an Ongoing Undercover Operation Against Illegal Cannabis Outlets in KZN 10 March 2025 at 08:15:00 Seven people have been arrested as a result of a four year SAPS undercover operation targeting illicit cannabis dealing networks in Kwa Zulu Natal. Police say the operation, in which plainclothes police officers target ‘grey zone’ outlets pretending to be customers, is ongoing. Read More Hawks Hail Prosecution of Pensioner Producing Cannabis Therapeutic Products as a ‘Significant Win’ in the Fight Against Drugs 9 March 2025 at 09:30:00 Random prosecutions continue against ‘grey zone’ operators with the Hawks hailing the conviction of an elderly Somerset West woman for dealing in R50 000 worth of cannabis-related products as a ‘significant win’ in efforts to curb the ‘illegal drug trade’. Read More JuicyFields Saga: Headspinning 'Scams Within Scams' and Now a Shadowy Link to the Russian 'Deep State' 7 March 2025 at 08:00:00 The first Juicyfields cases are likely to come before European courts this year as two new twists emerge in the scam that cost thousands of investors an estimated US$678 million. Journalists have found links to Russian ‘deep state’ involvement, and the lawyer bringing the investor class action against Juicyfields is suspected of being a scammer himself! Read More ECRDA's Perspective on the Mpondoland Hemp Seed Recall Row 5 March 2025 at 14:00:00 Response to the Cannabiz Africa News Article Entitled : “Medigrow Recalls Hemp Seed Distributed in Mpondoland, Says ECRDA to Blame for ‘Misunderstanding with Legacy Growers’ Read More ECRDA Says its Championing Local Landraces as it gets Caught in the Mpondoland Hemp War Crossfire 5 March 2025 at 13:30:00 The ECRDA says it’s committed to supporting legacy cannabis farmers and is in the process of registering local landrace seeds for commercial use. But it points out that its mandate is also to help hemp permit holders grow imported genetics and that it has to manage these competing dynamics. Read More NPA To Issue Cannabis Arrest Guidelines ‘Soon’, But No Sign Yet of Cannabis Act Regulations 3 March 2025 at 09:00:00 A senior policeman has confirmed that the National Prosecuting Authority is to issue new guidelines regarding cannabis arrests ‘soon’. However, these guidelines depend on what regulations govern the Cannabis Act, a task the Justice Department has been sitting on for nine months. Read More Prince Says No Progress as Police Play Hardball at Rasta Round Table, Insist on Upholding Their Rights to ‘Search and Arrest’ 1 March 2025 at 10:00:00 The SAHRC-convened Rasta Round Table in Gauteng this week made little progress in its campaign to halt cannabis arrests. The cops agreed to ‘sensitivity training’ for SAPS members, but would not back down on their rights to ‘search and seizure’. Rasta leader Ras Gareth Prince (pictured here) said afterwards, it was clear that Government was not serious about negotiating in good faith. Read More Medigrow: 'We Are Fulfilling Our Obligations to Govt Not Forcing Hemp on Mpondoland' 26 February 2025 at 18:00:00 This is the full statement from Medigrow clarifying its relationships with Eastern Cape provincial government departments and Mpondoland cannabis farmers over the hemp issue Read More Medigrow Recalls Hemp Seed Distributed in Mpondoland, Saying ECRDA Should Carry the Can for ‘Misunderstanding’ 26 February 2025 at 15:00:00 Medigrow CEO Edgar Adams (pictured here) has moved swiftly to calm rising tensions over hemp in Mpondoland. The company has withdrawn the hemp seeds distributed to a select group of farmers and has met with the Mpondoland Cannabis Belt Association farmers to allay fears that their landraces were under threat. Read More Silence of the SOPAs: Not a Word from E Cape and Gauteng Premiers on Any 2025 Plan for Industrial Cannabis to Create Jobs 26 February 2025 at 11:15:00 The Eastern Cape Premier never misses an opportunity to promote cannabis development so why the mysterious silence on the subject during his SOPA? And Gauteng? Not even a SOPA whisper on how the country’s economic powerhouse intends to use industrial cannabis to uplift the poor and create jobs. Read More Rastas and the Law Square Off at the Round Table to Halt Cannabis Arrests 26 February 2025 at 20:00:00 The South African Human Rights Commission convened the Rasta Round Table at the Birchwood Hotel on the East Rand on 26 February 2025. This was the first high profile meeting between Rastafarian representatives from all nine provinces and senior security cluster officials with the SAHRC's main aim being to halt cannabis arrests Read More FGFA’s Myrtle Clarke; 100 Years Of Prohibition Kept Alive by Government Ignorance 18 February 2025 at 12:00:00 Wednesday, 19 February 2025 marks 100 years of cannabis prohibition. In 1925, the Geneva Opium Convention declared 'Indian Hemp' as a banned substance. Although there are sweeping gains across the world, the prohibitionist mindset is far from over. Activist Myrtle Clarke, co-founder of FGFA says that unfortunately, when it comes to cannabis legalization, prohibitionist thinking remains alive and well in South Africa. Read More First High Profile Cases Emerge from KwaZulu Natal ‘Grey Zone’ Clampdown as Private Club Owners Face Charges for 'Dealing in THC' 14 February 2025 at 04:30:00 The owner of Durban private cannabis club Rooftop 420 has been arrested with three other club managers and all have been charged with illegally selling and distributing THC products four years ago. Read More Stirrings of Rural Resistance as Angry Legacy Growers Mobilize to Push Back Against Medigrow: “No Hemp in Mpondoland” 12 February 2025 at 18:00:00 The Lusikisiki Agreement between legacy growers and government agencies has fallen apart before the proverbial ink has dried. Mpondoland farmers have accused Government of breaking its word that no hemp would be introduced into the area without consultation and intends mobilizing local communities to resist Medigrow’s plans to distribute hemp seeds in the area. Read More Qure’s Brenda Marx: “Market Will Be Boosted By Govt Recognition of the Importance of Cannabis Testing 12 February 2025 at 15:00:00 The quiet announcement by the DTICC that product testing will be compulsory in funding applications is hugely significant says Qure's Brenda Marx. She says this requirement signals the start of a standardization process across the industry and will encourage laboratories to work more closely together. Read More DTIC Appoints Four Labs for Testing Cannabis Products as it Issues New Funding Guidelines 12 February 2025 at 11:00:00 The DTIC has issued new guidelines for entities seeking funding and has appointed Afriplex, NAFS, Qure and Vinlab as its official cannabis testing labs. The Department says funding applications for product development has to be accompanied by product test results from one of these four service providers. Read More Cannabis King Khoisan’s Protest Palace at the Union Buildings Demolished 12 February 2025 at 08:00:00 The Department of Public Works tore down the ramshackle residence of self-styled King Khoisan SA, this week. This effectively ends the King’s seven year protest occupation at Pretoria’s Union Buildings, where he became a tourist attraction, championing cannabis and indigenous rights. Read More SONA 2025: A World Within One Word Gives Private Sector Cannabis Stakeholders Some Hope 10 February 2025 at 15:00:00 Private sector cannabis stakeholders have taken an upbeat view of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s brief reference to cannabis and hemp in last week’s SONA. The fact that the word ‘commercial’ passed the President’s lips, has elicited an initial positive response from a fragmented industry awaiting guidelines on the way forward. Read More Presidency’s Control of Cannabis Reform Threatened by the Growing ‘Crisis of Illegality’ 5 February 2025 at 10:00:00 Since the landmark 2018 Concourt ruling, South African cannabis sector has been shaped by court decisions rather than driven by Government policy-makers. This has resulted in conflicting spheres of influence behind the scenes, the consequence of which is today’s seriously dysfunctional cannabis industry. Read More Mpumulanga Police Seize 1,6 Tons of Illegal Cannabis in 10 Days 29 January 2025 at 21:00:00 In the last week police in Mpumulanga have arrested four men and seized a total of 1,6 tons of cannabis in stop-and-search operations in the area between White River and Louw’s Creek. Read More Regulatory Nightmare Gets Worse: Cilo Cybin Quits SA Market “Until We Know Where We Can and Can’t Play” 19 January 2025 at 19:00:00 One of South Africa’s key medical cannabis players is pulling its CBD range from the local market completely because of the regulatory morass. Cilo Cybin says until such time as Government issues clear regulatory guidelines for the cannabis industry, it will pursue an export-only strategy. Read More Namibian Police Seize 380 kg Cannabis in December, Concerns That Other Drug Use is Rising 17 January 2025 at 06:45:00 Namibian police are concerned that the country is becoming a “nation of drug addicts and drug dealers". This follows the arrest of 126 people in December for drug-related offences, the appearance of metamphetamine in the country and the increasing use of Namibians as ‘drug mules’. Read More Agbiz Chief Economist: Provinces Must Pressurize Central Government to Develop Clear Cannabis Regulations 11 January 2025 at 10:00:00 Leading agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo (pictured here) has called on South Africa’s provinces to pressurize national government into putting the right regulations in place to develop South Africa’s cannabis industry. Regulations, he emphasizes, are essential to guiding the market in an orderly way. Read More Global Drug Policy Report: The ‘War Against Drugs' Has Failed; Time to Move Beyond Punishment 13 December 2024 at 07:00:00 Cannabis legalization has reduced criminal activity and led to better health outcomes. That's the view of the Global Commission on Drug Policy which has urged the US and Canada to decriminalize the use and possession of drugs, saying to date previous prohibition policies have failed. Read More Let the Games Begin: MBOSA Muscles in on Cullinan’s Law Firm with ‘Urgent’ Appeal to Cannabis Master Plan’s Secretive Steerco. 11 December 2024 at 05:30:00 Who knows what the National Cannabis Master Plan’s Steering Committee is up to? Well, whatever that is they should put it aside immediately to consider an “urgent” request by the Marijuana Board of South Africa to hold an “inquiry” into leading cannabis law firm, Cullinan and Associates in the interests of ‘transparency’. Read More What Future is there for the Man Who Literally Sang the Praises of Mandela, Gadaffi, Castro and Chavez? Why, a Seat at the Cannabis Master Plan Top Table of Course! 11 December 2024 at 05:00:00 President Ramaphosa must think cannabis reform is in for a bit of song and dance because he’s appointed Nelson Mandela’s ‘Imbobgi Yesizwe’ to represent traditional leaders on the National Cannabis Master Plan’s Steering Committee. Read More Cash Crop vs Social Harms: Kenya Divided Over Muguka, a Popular But Addictive Plant Stimulant 8 December 2024 at 12:00:00 There’s growing controversy in Kenya over the role and status of muguku, a variety of the popular stimulant known as khat or miraa. Government is obliged to fund farmers who grow the plant, but now there is kickback from critics who say it’s contributing to the country’s addiction crisis. Read More Just When You Thought You Were No Longer a Criminal, Take a Look at the New Cannabis Transgression Laws Coming Your Way 4 December 2024 at 07:00:00 The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act will replace the Drugs Act as the main tool in the Justice Department’s kit to punish cannabis offences – as soon as that law is promulgated. Here’s a summary of the new sanctions contained in the Act Read More Australian Greens Fail to Push Cannabis Legalization Through the Senate 27 November 2024 at 12:00:00 Legalization in Australia has suffered a setback after a Greens Party bid to introduce a cannabis law in the Senate was blocked by other parties. The Greens responded, slamming the Government for continuing to “criminalize” Australia’s 8,8 million cannabis users, saying “legalization was inevitable”. Read More THC % Limits to Increase Tenfold to 2% Under DTIC’s New Hemp Plan 26 November 2024 at 08:00:00 The DTIC is putting together a “hemp value-change development plan” which will be put to the private sector and other ‘social partners’ to sign off. A key part of the plan is to raise the acceptable THC percentage in hemp from 0,2% to 2%. Read More Presidential Cannabis Advisor: ‘The Industry is in a Free-for-All and We Are Dealing With a Crisis of Illegality’ 26 November 2024 at 07:00:00 It’s official: the President’s cannabis advisor Garth Strachan has admitted that the fledgling South African cannabis industry is in a ‘free for all’ because of a “crisis of ‘illegality’. Read More Cannabis and Private Property – How Private Are Sectional Title Schemes? 25 November 2024 at 13:00:00 Cannabis consumption in shared areas of sectional title schemes is not on, but what about growing plants on your balcony or smoking in your living room? Well, that depends on the rules of the complex you’re in and the definition of ‘nuisance factor’. Read More Namibia: Cops Refuse Permission for Cannabis Protest Because ‘Foreign Nationals’ Are Involved. 24 November 2024 at 06:00:00 The Namibian Police won’t allow a planned cannabis protest march to take place on 10 December 2024 because ‘foreign nationals’ have been invited to participate’. A top officer says this will be ‘detrimental to Namibia’s sovereignty and will only let the protest go ahead if no foreigners are involved. Read More North West Police Seize Weapons and Explosives During R10 million Cannabis Lab Bust near Potch 20 November 2024 at 18:00:00 A man has been arrested during a raid on an illicit R10 million hydroponic cannabis grow op near Potchefstroom in North West Province where home-made weapons were also seized. Read More Botswana Breakthrough: New President Embraces Cannabis in First SONA 20 November 2024 at 09:00:00 Botswana will diversify its diamond-dependent economy by launching into the medicinal cannabis market and exploiting its abundant sunshine, President Duma Boko said on Tuesday, 19 November 2024 in his first State of the Nation address (SONA). Read More The Law Seems Certain About One Thing: Private Cannabis Clubs Are Neither Illegal Or Legal 19 November 2024 at 14:00:00 South Africa’s vibrant cannabis club culture continues to face legal uncertainty after hopes that a SCA ruling in the THC case would provide finality. However, a last-minute out of court settlement put paid to that and the legal advice to private club owers is: tread carefully and stick to the Prince Judgement. Read More SA Court Censures Swaziland News for Calling eSwatini King a “Dangerous Dagga Dealer " Intent on Looting the Nation 18 November 2024 at 09:00:00 Judgement has been reserved in a Mbombela court case in which the eSwatini Prime Minister is tryng to gag the rebel Swaziland News, accusing it of terrorism and defamation. Part of the PM’s objection is that the paper reported without substantiating its sources, that King Mswati III is involved in the Kingdom’s illegal cannabis trade. Read More THC Settles Appeal Bid Out of Court, Status of Private Clubs Remains Uncertain 17 November 2024 at 08:00:00 The Haze Club has reached an out-of court settlement with the Justice Department on its appeal court application to have private cannabis clubs legally recognized. The details of the settlement are confidential and in the absence of a court ruling, the legal status of cannabis clubs remains uncertain. Read More Finally, the Multi-Million Euro JuicyFields Cannabis Scam Starts Finding its Way to Court 17 November 2024 at 06:00:00 Two German nationals believed to be pivotal to the E645 million JuicyFields fraud are soon to appear in a Berlin court. However the thousands of investors left out of pocket by the complex cannabis pyramid scheme are unlikely to see any of their funds returned. Read More Driving the Private Club Revolution: GrowOneAfrica’s Self-Regulatory Model Makes Both Cannabis Consumers and the Taxman Happy 13 November 2024 at 07:00:00 GrowOneAfrica is one of South Africa’s leading cannabis service providers and the dominant enabler in the private cannabis club movement. Based in the Western Cape, G1A has pioneered a self-regulating club model that has created millions of rand in value, over a thousand jobs and serves over 9 000 members. Cannabiz Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber takes a deep dive into the GrowOneAfrica story with CEO Kobus Schoeman and GM Vanessa de Sousa (pictured above). Read More Intelligence Agency Offers ‘Compliance’ and ‘Law Enforcement Interaction’ with SAPS for ‘Grey Zone’ Cannabis Outlets 12 November 2024 at 12:00:00 Sika is a name that has cropped up over the past few months in the cannabis ‘grey zone’ where a number of outlets have signed up to their specialized services. Who is Sika and what do they do? Cannabiz Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber speaks to Sika founder and CEO Sandy Gounder to find out more Read More Joint Statement from SAPS and SAHPRA Warning To ‘Grey Zone’ Cannabis Outlets 12 November 2024 at 07:00:00 An undated press release from SAPS and SAHPRA says no cannabis retail outlets are allowed except in terms of the Medicines and Related Substances Act. It also says businesses operating under the Traditional Health Practitioners Act are illegal. Read More Government Reports Back on the National Cannabis Master Plan: It’s Happening Slowly But It’s Happening 5 November 2024 at 10:00:00 Presidential cannabis advisor Garth Strachan acknowledges the pace of cannabis reform has been slow but says that now the DTIC is in the saddle, there should be more momentum. Here is his summary of the current state of regulatory play in the cannabis sector. Read More SAPS Training Woefully Inadequate to Handle, Well...Anything Kinda Complicated 5 November 2024 at 04:00:00 As most of the cannabis community that has borne the brunt of the law is strongly aware: police are not trained to think. SAPS is about to embark on a mass recruitment drive but until such time that recruits are taught not just to obey orders but to make decisions, there will be no curbing South Africa’s high crime levels. Read More Parks Tau to Take Charge of the Cannabis Master Plan; DTIC to Oversee Further Changes to Law 4 November 2024 at 10:00:00 South Africa’s new Trade and Industry Minister, Parks Tau has been given the task of bringing other Government departments into line on cannabis policy. He’s also going to be responsible for drawing up appropriate legislation to enable cannabis reform. Read More SAHPRA Confirms Nationwide ‘Grey Zone’ Clampdown Underway; Says Cannabis Retailers Should Face 'Full Might of the Law’ 3 November 2024 at 09:00:00 SAHPRA says authorities have raided ‘grey zone’ cannabis outlets in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and have taken ‘appropriate enforcement actions’ against them. It says there is no such thing as a dispensary license and anyone selling cannabis to the public should face the ‘full might of the law’. Read More Mexico Moves to Ban All Vapes, Critics Fear The Cartels Will Step Into the Void 2 November 2024 at 07:00:00 Mexico’s new president wants to constitutionally ban all vapes by the end of the year. Critics are concerned that this overlooks the fact that vapes are nicotine alternatives and that banning them will simply drive the vape market further underground. Read More eSwatini Cannabis Confusion, Cannabis Bill Floats in Parliamentary Backwaters, While Police Intensify War Against Growers 29 October 2024 at 16:00:00 eSwatini’ MP’s hope that the controversial Cannabis Bill will still be retabled before the year is out, but with more ministries being pulled into the legalization issue, don’t expect this to happen. Read More Lesotho Loses Revenue to Unchecked Cannabis Licensing Corruption 26 October 2024 at 07:00:00 cannabis licencing corruption remains rife in the country and the government is turning a blind eye. That's according to The Lesotho Reporter, the Kingdom’s main newspaper, which alleges there is a single mastermind behind the ongoing licensing fraud whose identity is known to the authorities. Read More ‘Understaffed’ SAHPRA ‘Over-Reliant’ on ‘High Risk’ Fee Income from Big Pharma 25 October 2024 at 05:00:00 SAHPRA’s government grant has been declining for years and the regulatory authority is increasingly reliant on fee income, which it says is a “high risk situation”. It has appealed to Treasury for further funding saying that it is understaffed and needs to invest in technical infrastructure. Read More Cannabis Master Plan ‘Secrecy’ Under Fire As Hand-picked Steering Committee Meets Privately and Doesn’t Share Agenda 24 October 2024 at 08:00:00 It has come to light that the Presidency set up a committee of non-government stakeholders a year ago to help rebuild the National Cannabis Master Plan. However, the committee, which was set up in secret, has been meeting behind closed doors with no communication to the broader cannabis community as to what it has been discussing. This has raised concern among activists and the business community, as the Presidency had promised to be transparent. Read More Malawi: Cannabis Bill Delayed by Faith Leaders' Objections 22 October 2024 at 13:00:00 Malawi’s president has not yet enacted into law a Bill passed by Parliament in March this year intended to regulate the cannabis industry. This was because of objections by religious leaders that not enough harms prevention measures had been put in place, even though the Malawi is only permitting cultivation for export. Read More Uganda Issues Medical Cannabis Export Guidelines 22 October 2024 at 12:00:00 Uganda’s cannabis policy is to legalize cannabis only for export. Kampala is currently not considering domestic consumption of industrial, medical or recreational cannabis, but has recently issued guidelines for prospective exporters. Read More Creating a Dispensary Framework in SA: Start with the Obvious and Allow Licensed Growers to Supply Licensed Outlets 19 October 2024 at 13:00:00 Authorities urgently need to come up with regulations to govern the hundreds of “grey zone” cannabis outlets that have emerged in the past 12 months. Hempvest CEO Zaid Mohidin has called for a cannabis retail licensing system to be implemented allowing licenced growers to supply licenced outlets – otherwise organized crime is going to move into this space to enhance its own interests. Read More SAHPRA Concerned Over Medical Cannabis Prescription 'Misuse': Section 21 Clampdown On Its Way 17 October 2024 at 08:00:00 Sources close to SAHPRA say a clampdown on the ‘misuse’ of medical cannabis prescriptions is on its way. The regulator is concerned that many ‘Section 21’ medical cannabis patients are actually using their prescriptions for ‘recreational’ purposes and intends taking remedial action. Read More ‘War Against Drugs’: SANDF Bust Rural Cannabis Dealers Along the Mozambique and eSwatini Borders 16 October 2024 at 10:00:00 The SANDF has praised its soldiers for their “commitment and dedication to the sovereignty of the state” for arresting two rural women with 17 kg of cannabis near the eSwatini border. SANDF border patrols also discovered 190 kg of cannabis in an unrelated action in the same area of eastern Mpumulanga. Read More Webber Wentzel Advises Mining Bosses to Revisit Cannabis ‘Intoxication’ Policies to Include ‘Risk Assessment’ 16 October 2024 at 05:00:00 The legalization of cannabis is forcing businesses to change their labour policies. Being tested positive for cannabis is not sufficient in itself to bring disciplinary charges against an employee, there has to be a degree of ‘impairment’ for action to be taken. Read More Hawks Warn Fentanyl Has Entered Local “Drug Trafficking Conveyer Belts” Yet Two Gauteng Rehab Facilities Close Doors Because of Funding Challenges 14 October 2024 at 09:00:00 The deadly opioid fentanyl is now firmly part of the South African ‘drug conveyer belt’. This is the warning from the head of the Hawks who expects substance abuse levels to increase. This comes at a time when two major Gauteng private rehab centres have closed doors because of Government 'funding challenges', leaving hundreds of patients stranded. Read More Medical Cannabis SA: Here’s What You Need to Know 8 October 2024 at 09:00:00 There has been a huge upsurge of Section 21 medical cannabis patients in the last year, with SAHPRA expressing concern that many ‘dispensaries’ offering this service are actually just a front for ‘recreational’ sales. Just what is the current legal landscape in terms of medical cannabis in South Africa? Bassani Medical Cannabis CEO Mike Stringer lays down the line. Read More The South African Consumer Market’s ‘Dagga Dilemma’: Regulations vs Reality 7 October 2024 at 06:00:00 In the last year there has been an explosion of private cannabis shops, clubs and dispensaries across South Africa’s metros. Most of the so-called “grey zone” consumer-orientated cannabis outlets are actually very much ‘black’, and against the law. Even though police appear to be turning a blind eye to this thriving ‘wild west’ sector, stakeholders have called for legal clarity on how commercial cannabis will be regulated. Read More Hemp SA: A Quick Guide to the State of the Sector 3 October 2024 at 09:00:00 Industrial cannabis (hemp) is where all Government’s energy is going and this is clearly where the most entrepreneurial opportunities lie. Control over non-medical cannabis is being handed over to the Agriculture Department and the plant will soon be dropped from the Drugs Act. This changes in the regulatory framework are slowly coming into place. Read More Cannabis USA: The Economic Upside of Legalization 3 October 2024 at 07:00:00 There’s no doubt that despite the pain many cannabis companies have felt, the industry itself is burgeoning, creating new businesses and jobs, opening up fresh markets – and importantly, from a government perspective, adding big numbers to the fiscus. In the US, legal cannabis jurisdictions generated over US$4 billion in tax revenue in 2023. Read More THC Appeal Court Date Set for 19 November, Has Far-Reaching Implications for All Private Cannabis Clubs 29 September 2024 at 08:00:00 On 19 November 2024 the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will finally hear the case of The Haze Club (THC). This is almost two years after a Western Cape reserved judgement on the matter which has implications for the legal status of South Africa’s scores of private cannabis clubs Read More Medicines Act Amended to Pass Control of Non-Medical Cannabis to Agriculture Dept 25 September 2024 at 15:00:00 The Medicines Act has been amended, allowing control over non-medical cannabis to be passed on to the Agriculture Department. This means that future decisions, such as acceptable THC levels for various cannabis products, will ultimately be decided on by Agriculture, and not by the Health Department. Read More Suspected Cannabis Dealer Killed in Shootout with KZN Police 21 September 2024 at 13:00:00 A suspected cannabis dealer was shot dead near Umhlali north of Durban after an exchange of fire with police. Seven bags of cannabis were recovered from his vehicle after the shootout on the N2. Two alleged accomplices are on the run. Read More Judge Sets Aside ‘Dagga Dealing’ Conviction, Calls for “Refresher Courses” for Magistrates on Cannabis Legislation 19 September 2024 at 11:00:00 A Mpumulanga Judge has set aside a cannabis conviction based on a section of the Drugs Act that was declared unconstitutional 30 years ago!. He also wants the Chief Magistrate “to help identify areas in need of training and refresher courses” regarding cannabis law. Read More Onslaught Against Illicit Cultivators Continues: R30 Million Cannabis Bust in Port Alfred 19 September 2024 at 10:00:00 Police raided a property near Port Alfred last week, seizing what they estimate as R30 million worth of cannabis and related products. Five people were arrested, three of whom were foreign nationals, in further evidence that international crime syndicates are infiltrating the local drug market. Read More Africa’s Leading Business School Seeks to Create Cannabis Entrepreneurs Through ‘Business Mastery’ Programme 18 September 2024 at 12:00:00 The Gordon School of Business Science and Cheeba Africa’s Cannabis academy have teamed up to offer entrepreneurs and professionals a ‘business mastery’ course in cannabis that spans the plant’s value chain. Read More "The Potential for Settlement is Being Explored": New Cannabis Act May Affect State’s Case Against Haze Club 16 September 2024 at 12:00:00 The Haze Club (THC) director Neil Liddel has been the fall-guy for the Private Cannabis Club (PCC) market since his arrest in 2021 for ‘dealing in cannabis’. Last year a Western Cape magistrate found him guilty under the Drugs Act, and the case was taken on appeal. However, the new Cannabis Act may have a bearing on the case and Liddel's legal team is in discussion with the state to explore the prospects of a settlement. Read More Cannabiz Africa MarketPlace Cannabiz Africa MarketPlace is your source of business news focussing on the African cannabis market. Stay up to date with new projects, investments, company news and market developments in this rapidly-growing sector. Explore More Legal services are in high demand, in the rapidly evolving African cannabis market. Expose your brand, and market your services to this target market. For advertising, details call Nicolaas on +27716869332 What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service COMING IN FRESH TOP LEGAL STORIES Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud Read More It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward.

It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 Brett Hilton-Barber, Cannabiz Africa Cannabiz Africa understands the President’s office came under a deluge of internal and external queries after the Health Minister’s gazetted notice on 7 March 2025 . came from left field with a blanket ban on cannabis edibles, that included hemp. One source close to the Presidency says Ramaphosa himself was taken by surprise as he had no prior warning about the ban and was angry at the Minister for undermining his SONA promise a month earlier that South Africa would take the ‘lead in cannabis and hemp commercialization’. Cannabiz Africa understands that the President decided to act swiftly in lifting the ban altogether rather than a partial lifting of the restriction on hemp foodstuffs, after being briefed of the legal implications and the potential damages that could arise if no action was taken. This led to the statement of 25 March 2025 in which t he President said the Minister would withdraw the regulations, stressing that there would be stakeholder engagement before any new regulations were issued. Cannabiz Africa understands that any regulatory decisions around the Cannabis Master Plan have been removed from Health and handed over to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), which will be responsible for interaction with stakeholders. The DTIC’s Sinah Mosehla says the Department was aware of the Phakisa submissions and was preparing a public consultation process on a commercial framework for cannabis in the near future. Cheeba Africa co-founder Trenton Birch, who was first off the mark with a letter to the President, told Cannabiz Africa “Obviously as an industry we are ecstatic that we have won and got the Government to withdraw its stupid decision”. “But", he said,"we must not forget how this is just a clear example of how the different parts of government are disenfranchised from working together harmoniously". "Having said that, this is a great step forward for the industry and was absolutely necessary. It is also a prime example of why we urgently need legislation". Birch said the industry had run out of patience with promises for a commercial framework for the domestic use of cannabis: "We want it now, and are not prepared to wait for it anymore”. The withdrawal is a “critical win for logic, legality and livelihoods”, said Tebogo Thlopane, chairperson of the Cannabis Trade Association Africa. “But we remain on high alert. The industry cannot afford policy volatility. We need regulatory certainty, backed by science and common sense.” Silverleaf Invstments’ director Darryl Weiss, agrees. He told Cannabiz Africa he was quite taken aback by the President’s quick response in lifting the ban. “ Hopefully, this rapid turnaround will create the momentum needed for the cannabis industry—and those who have invested significant capital, resources, and commitment over the past five or more years—to finally see the same urgency from the Presidency, the DTIC, and other key ministries to finalise legislation pertaining to the industry.” Friends of Hemp South Africa is no longer going ahead with the litigation it had planned in response to the now withdrawn ban but some individual companies might still take legal action for losses incurred while it was implemented, according to FOHSA co founder M Ayanda Bam said. Another stakeholder who wrote to the President was attorney Charl Botha , who urged the Government to take the following three steps going forward regarding cannabis and foodstuff: 1. Development of a clear and science-based regulatory framework distinguishing hemp-derived foodstuffs from psychoactive cannabis products. 2. Harmonization of local regulations with international standards to facilitate trade and economic development. 3. Industry engagement with regulatory authorities, including SAHPRA and the Department of Health, to establish risk-based product classifications rather than outright prohibitions. At the time of going to press, the Ministry of Health, had no further comment to make. Last week during the Cheeba What the Hemp 2.0? webinar on 12 March 2025, DTIC spokesperson Thembelihle Ndukwana, said she expected the ban to be temporary and that the DTIC would begin co-funding hemp foodstuff projects once the restrictions were lifted. She told stakeholders: “You should be on the lookout, we will be reaching out to you to co-create this Master Plan”. At the time of going to press, applications closed for the position of Cannabis Master Plan project manager, a post within the DTIC. It’s not clear whether the process of appointment will delay that of stakeholder engagement. # PREVIOUS NEXT What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted

Cannabiz-Africa is your hub for all cannabis news and resources. Everything from breaking news, cannabis politics, business investments, legal policies and a marketplace network where we connect you with local businesses. Be in the know with the hottest, freshest and most up-to date hemp movements. COMING IN FRESH STAY IN THE KNOW WITH TOP STORIES Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act Read More The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. LATEST NEWS Catch up on the latest news & updates Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act 28 March 2025 at 09:00:00 The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Read More Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud 28 March 2025 at 07:45:00 It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward. Read More UN Bans HHC or ‘Synthetic Cannabis’ for Worldwide Non-Medical Use 27 March 2025 at 07:00:00 South Africa voted along with 49 other nations to ban hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) at the UN Commission on Psychotropic Substances (CND) in Vienna earlier this month. HHC, which is synthetically derived and similar in effect to THC, has been widely available legally in many parts of the US and Europe. Read More Vayej: ‘The President’s Call to Lift ‘The Ban’ Is Pivotal to Moving Towards Industry Transparency’ 26 March 2025 at 20:00:00 Open Farms chairman Shaad Vayej says the President’s move to lift ‘The Ban’ signals a much needed shift towards as transparency and stakeholder engagement in formulating future policy. Read More Botswana Hosts Major Hemp Indaba to Chart Regulatory Way Forward 26 March 2025 at 19:30:00 Botswana will once again get a chance to showcase its bold vision to incorporate hemp into its economy when it hosts the Inaugural Hemp Business Summit in Gaborone on 5 April 2025. Read More Silverleaf’s Weiss: President’s Rapid Response Lifting The Ban Bodes Well, Let’s Give Enabling Legislation the Same Urgency 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 The Director of South Africa’s first dedicated cannabis investment fund, Silverleaf Investments, Darryl Weiss (pictured here), says he didn't expect the President’s decisiveness in lifting the controversial cannabis in foodstuffs ban. He says the same urgency should be applied in following this through with enabling legislation to unlock the domestic cannabis market. Read More Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Read More Energy Crunch Facing US Indoor Growers – Gas Emmissions Now Equal that of 10 m Cars 26 March 2025 at 09:30:00 The economics of cannabis cultivation are starting to hurt US farmers dependent on indoor growing facilities. A new study shows there’s renewed interest in outdoor growing as the environmental – and financial – costs of indoor grow ops mount. Read More President Ramaphosa Orders Cannabis Foodstuff Ban to Be Lifted Immediately 25 March 2025 at 18:00:00 President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to withdraw the controversial ban on cannabis in foodstuffs with immediate effect. He’s also ordered the Minister to begin consultations with stakeholders before issuing any further notice on the matter. This is a statement from the Presidency. Read More Thanks to the Health Minister SA Now Has One of the Most Restrictive Food Policies in the World 25 March 2025 at 10:45:00 South Africa now has one of the most restrictive food policies in the world following the ban on hemp foodstuffs. Open Farms chairman and attorney, Shaad Vayej (pictured here), says government should be aligning with international best practice in developing the hemp sector, but has instead imposed “a backward-looking restriction that harms businesses, limits consumer access, and contradicts prior regulations.” Read More ‘He Needs to be Charged or Fired!’ CTAA Prepares Interdict, Says Health Minister has been ‘Criminally Negligent’ 25 March 2025 at 07:00:00 The push-back is gaining momentum as more cannabis stakeholders gear up for lawfare against the hemp foodstuff ban. The CTAA is to preparing to file an interdict against the Health Minister, saying his actions could be construed as criminally negligent, and “he needs to be charged or fired.” Read More Minister of Madness: “Absurd” Ban Puts Paid to Govt Funded Project to Develop Hemp-based ‘Superfood’ for School Feeding Schemes 24 March 2025 at 13:30:00 The DoH issued a research permit to Druids Garden to investigate nutrition in hemp. The project got traction and was funded by government entities and developed in collaboration with the CSIR and seven years later there’s an amazing hemp-based porridge perfect for school feeding schemes. What a great story…..except the self-same DoH has now banned it! Read More Read All Breaking News Here THE CANNABIZ CLASSIFIEDS Cannabiz Africa is the continent's premier B2B news platform. We reach the main industry stakeholders with over 4000+ unique users per month and 1500 Newsline subscribers - and growing. Click Here for the CannaBiz Classifieds INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Medical Cannabis Investment Opportunities in W Cape Cape Town is your ideal SA location to invest in the fast-growing South African medicinal cannabis market. The Wesgro Trade Unit provides a free and confidential service to help you establish and grow your business in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Contact us through the Wesgro One Stop Investment Shop here to find out why you should be investing in the Western Cape pharmaceutical hub. EXPORTS Top Quality SA Flower Available for Export SafriCanna is a SAHPRA-registered cultivation and processing facility whose efforts are focused on the growth, cultivation, processing, and export of Medicinal EU-GMP Cannabis products to international markets. See our catalogue of flower products here , Phone: + 27 (0) 10 880 6269; Email: info@safricanna.com, or contact us here GROW EQUIPMENT CapeCanna LED Lights Sale Now On CapeCanna is your hydroponic cannabis cultivation specialist. We offer the complete range of high quality equipment to set you up. Right now there's a sale on LED grow lights. Click here to buy. We deliver nationwide. LEGAL SERVICES Schindlers Dedicated Cannabis Law Department For All Legal Requirements Schindlers is South Africa’s first law firm to have a department dedicated to ‘M&R’ (‘medicinal’ & ‘recreational’) cannabis law, advising both international and local clients. We have been experts in the Cannabis field for years, and were instrumental in cases leading to the Constitutional Court ruling that legalized the personal consumption of cannabis in a private space. Click here to get connected with us . Cannabiz Africa NewsLine coming in fresh every week. NewsLine Archives Cannabiz Africa: Your Gateway to Cannabis Industry News & Insights Stay ahead of the curve with Cannabiz Africa, the leading source for cannabis industry news, business updates, and regulatory developments across Africa. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or enthusiast, we provide the latest insights into market trends, legislative changes, and emerging opportunities shaping the region's cannabis economy. 2025 Outlook: Rubble Removal Newsline # 124: 9 January 2024 The Year to Remove the Rocks on the Road to Cannabis Reform 2025 to be the Year of Psilocybin Lawfare Newsline # 123: 2 January 2025 State Opposes ConCourt Bid to Have Psilocybin Legalized 50 Shades of ‘Grey Zone’ Newsline # 122: 26 December 2024 Cannabis Cowboys Drive the Rapid Rise of an Unregulated Retail Sector Worth Billions Join the Dixie Jane Private Cannabis Club from anywhere in South Africa. FREE membership for over 21's Cannabiz Africa offers you the chance to become a member of the Dixie Jane private cannabis club, a curated top-shelf experience. Membership is FREE and easy. Become a member anywhere in South Africa and enjoy the benefits of club membership from your own home. Delivery for members nationwide. Click Here Now To Start Your New Journey Subscribe to our newsletter Email* Yes, subscribe me to your newsletter. Submit Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud Read More It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward.

Discover and explore a curated cannabis Business Directory. Coming soon. CANNABIZ AFRICA’S CLUBS ZONE Private Cannabis Clubs (PCC’s) have become a feature of the South African cannabis landscape. They have proliferated in the past few years and offer a safe, legal environment for cannabis consumers. However, although PCC’s fit the constitutional bill in that they allow use in a private space, the zone remains in a legal grey area pending finalization of coherent cannabis legislation. Stay abreast of all the news affecting private cannabis clubs here at Cannabiz Africa. Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act Read More The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. FGFA’s Myrtle Clarke; 100 Years Of Prohibition Kept Alive by Government Ignorance Read More Wednesday, 19 February 2025 marks 100 years of cannabis prohibition. In 1925, the Geneva Opium Convention declared 'Indian Hemp' as a banned substance. Although there are sweeping gains across the world, the prohibitionist mindset is far from over. Activist Myrtle Clarke, co-founder of FGFA says that unfortunately, when it comes to cannabis legalization, prohibitionist thinking remains alive and well in South Africa. Join the Dixie Jane Private Cannabis Club from anywhere in South Africa. FREE membership for over 21's Cannabiz Africa offers you the chance to become a member of the Dixie Jane private cannabis club, a curated top-shelf experience. Membership is FREE and easy. Become a member anywhere in South Africa and enjoy the benefits of club membership from your own home. Delivery for members nationwide. Dixie Jane Craft Cannabis is more than just a provider of premium cannabis flower, pre-rolls, and edibles. We’re a South African private cannabis club that prioritizes community, quality, and convenience. Dixie Jane, is committed to providing a safe, legal, and enjoyable experience for our members. Ready to begin? Get started in three easy steps. Once you have joined you will receive direct confirmation, for further information contact hello@dixiejane.co.za 01. Create your account Simply create your new membership account with your own unique username and password. We’ll send you an email explaining all the details and the next steps. Sign Up 02. Verify you’re over 21 To ensure a secure and compliant experience, we’ll ask you to quickly verify your age by scanning your ID after signing up. This helps protect both you and Dixie Jane. Sign Up 03. Withdraw your stash Welcome to the collective. Prepare to indulge in premium products meticulously curated for your enjoyment. Delivered discreetly to your doorstep. Sign Up CLUB ZONE BREAKING NEWS ACTIVISM Cannabis King Khoisan’s Protest Palace at the Union Buildings Demolished Read More LEGALITY Presidency’s Control of Cannabis Reform Threatened by the Growing ‘Crisis of Illegality’ Read More SA OUTLOOK 2025: A Year for Removing the Rocks on the Road to Cannabis Reform Read More THE LAW Leaked NPA Guide on ‘Dagga Dealing Shops’ is Confusing But Appears to Endorse Private Cannabis Club Model Read More NEW CANNABIS LAWS Just When You Thought You Were No Longer a Criminal, Take a Look at the New Cannabis Transgression Laws Coming Your Way Read More LEGALITY The Law Seems Certain About One Thing: Private Cannabis Clubs Are Neither Illegal Or Legal Read More THC CASE THC Settles Appeal Bid Out of Court, Status of Private Clubs Remains Uncertain Read More MODELS Driving the Private Club Revolution: GrowOneAfrica’s Self-Regulatory Model Makes Both Cannabis Consumers and the Taxman Happy Read More SAPS/SAHPRA Joint Statement from SAPS and SAHPRA Warning To ‘Grey Zone’ Cannabis Outlets Read More THE CANNABIZ CLASSIFIEDS Cannabiz Africa is the continent's premier B2B news platform. We reach the main industry stakeholders with over 4000+ unique users per month and 1500 Newsline subscribers - and growing. Click Here to advertise. INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Medical Cannabis Investment Opportunities in W Cape Cape Town is your ideal SA location to invest in the fast-growing South African medicinal cannabis market. The Wesgro Trade Unit provides a free and confidential service to help you establish and grow your business in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Contact us through the Wesgro One Stop Investment Shop here to find out why you should be investing in the Western Cape pharmaceutical hub. EXPORTS Top Quality SA Flower Available for Export SafriCanna is a SAHPRA-registered cultivation and processing facility whose efforts are focused on the growth, cultivation, processing, and export of Medicinal EU-GMP Cannabis products to international markets. See our catalogue of flower products here , Phone: + 27 (0) 10 880 6269; Email: info@safricanna.com, or contact us here GROW EQUIPMENT CapeCanna LED Lights Sale Now On CapeCanna is your hydroponic cannabis cultivation specialist. We offer the complete range of high quality equipment to set you up. Right now there's a sale on LED grow lights. Click here to buy. We deliver nationwide. LEGAL SERVICES Schindlers Dedicated Cannabis Law Department For All Legal Requirements Schindlers is South Africa’s first law firm to have a department dedicated to ‘M&R’ (‘medicinal’ & ‘recreational’) cannabis law, advising both international and local clients. We have been experts in the Cannabis field for years, and were instrumental in cases leading to the Constitutional Court ruling that legalized the personal consumption of cannabis in a private space. Click here to get connected with us . What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

Discover and explore a curated cannabis Business Directory. Coming soon. Welcome to Cannabiz Africa’s MarketPlace The Business of Cannabis. Keep up with the latest commercial news affecting the rapidly developing African cannabis sector and a ‘Meet the Team’ Business Directory to build your network. Get brand exposure, advertise your services or promote your product in Cannabiz Africa’s MarketPlace Contact Us THE CANNABIZ CLASSIFIEDS Cannabiz Africa is the continent's premier B2B news platform. We reach the main industry stakeholders with over 4000+ unique users per month and 1500 Newsline subscribers - and growing. Check back soon Once posts are published, you’ll see them here. Cannabis Master Plan Descends into ‘Omnishambles’ as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Reveals Serious Faultlines at Cabinet Level. Seven years after the Government unveiled the Cannabis Master Plan, the sad truth has been laid bare: “There is no commercialization... Nic van den Bergh Mar 21 4 min read 9 Post not marked as liked Health Minister Aaron Motsaoledi is due to 'face the nation' on the issue on a Cheeba-organized webinar, What the Hemp?, at 12h00, Tuesday, 18 March 2024. The Health Minister’s banning of cannabis in all foodstuffs and edibles as per the Government Gazette notice of 7 March 2025, sent... Nic van den Bergh Mar 17 1 min read 200 Post not marked as liked CBD Shots Prove There’s Life Left in the Old Nag as Israel Develops New Pain Treatment Product for Animals. Israeli company Innocann, has developed a single shot CBD injection treatment for osteoarthritis that could have wide application in the... Nic van den Bergh Feb 21 2 min read 5 Post not marked as liked Qure’s Brenda Marx: “Market Will Be Boosted By Govt Recognition of the Importance of Cannabis Testing. The quiet announcement by the DTICC that product testing will be compulsory in funding applications is hugely significant says Qure's... Nic van den Bergh Feb 13 4 min read 6 Post not marked as liked Stirrings of Rural Resistance as Angry Legacy Growers Mobilize to Push Back Against Medigrow: “No Hemp in Mpondoland” The Lusikisiki Agreement between legacy growers and government agencies has fallen apart before the proverbial ink has dried. Mpondoland... Nic van den Bergh Feb 13 4 min read 12 Post not marked as liked ‘The Hypocrisy of Democracy’: Prince Slams Government for Perpetuating Racism Through “Reckless” Cannabis Reform. Leading South African cannabis activist, Ras Gareth Prince, says 'whites and Indians' are the main beneficiaries of the cannabis ‘grey... Nic van den Bergh Feb 10 5 min read 8 Post not marked as liked Understanding Leadership Changes in Modern Companies Leadership changes are a significant and often inevitable part of any organization. As companies evolve, so do their leadership needs.... Nic van den Bergh Feb 10 4 min read 2 Post not marked as liked Presidency’s Control of Cannabis Reform Threatened by the Growing ‘Crisis of Illegality’ Since the landmark 2018 Concourt ruling, South African cannabis sector has been shaped by court decisions rather than driven by... Nic van den Bergh Feb 6 3 min read 7 Post not marked as liked Eastern Cape Programme to Incentivize Landrace Cannabis Farmers to Switch to Hemp Begins The first hemp seeds have been distributed to a select group of Eastern Cape farmers as part of Medigrow’s ambitious Coega-based... Nic van den Bergh Feb 6 2 min read 6 Post not marked as liked Van Rooyen Steps Down as Labat CEO After 30 Years as Group Pivots into IT Space Labat CEO Brian van Rooyen has resigned as CEO of the JSE-listed group as it announces a shift in strategy by moving into the IT space... Nic van den Bergh Jan 31 4 min read 45 Post not marked as liked Classifieds: Business Opportunities Cannabis Master Plan Descends into ‘Omnishambles’ as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Reveals Serious Faultlines at Cabinet Level. Mar 21 Health Minister Aaron Motsaoledi is due to 'face the nation' on the issue on a Cheeba-organized webinar, What the Hemp?, at 12h00, Tuesday, 18 March 2024. Mar 17 CBD Shots Prove There’s Life Left in the Old Nag as Israel Develops New Pain Treatment Product for Animals. Feb 21 Qure’s Brenda Marx: “Market Will Be Boosted By Govt Recognition of the Importance of Cannabis Testing. Feb 13 Stirrings of Rural Resistance as Angry Legacy Growers Mobilize to Push Back Against Medigrow: “No Hemp in Mpondoland” Feb 13 ‘The Hypocrisy of Democracy’: Prince Slams Government for Perpetuating Racism Through “Reckless” Cannabis Reform. Feb 10 Understanding Leadership Changes in Modern Companies Feb 10 Presidency’s Control of Cannabis Reform Threatened by the Growing ‘Crisis of Illegality’ Feb 6 Eastern Cape Programme to Incentivize Landrace Cannabis Farmers to Switch to Hemp Begins Feb 6 Van Rooyen Steps Down as Labat CEO After 30 Years as Group Pivots into IT Space Jan 31 Mpumulanga Police Seize 1,6 Tons of Illegal Cannabis in 10 Days Jan 31 Medigrow’s Billion Rand Coega Industrial Cannabis Project Jan 22 Police Crack Down on 'Grey Zone' Cannabis Producers in KZN Jan 22 SA’s Medical Cannabis Expertise Spreads its Wings: Dr Gallow Invited to Philippines to Support Legalization Bid. Jan 17 Silverleaf’s Darryl Weisz: ‘DTIC Must Intervene as the System Has Been Set Up for Failure’ Jan 17 2025: A Year for Removing the Rocks on the Road to Cannabis Reform Jan 9 Hello Hemp: Networking Event in Nairobi is Kenya’s First Step Towards Developing an Industrial Cannabis Sector. Jan 7 New Study Shows CBD Reduces Craving in Adults Addicted to Alcohol Jan 5 2025 to be the Year of Psychedelic Lawfare as State Opposes ConCourt Bid to Have Psilocybin Legalized Jan 5 Brand on the Run: Cannabis Marketing Tips for the New Year Jan 5 50 Shades of ‘Grey Zone’: Cannabis Cowboys Drive the Rapid Rise of an Unregulated Retail Sector Worth Billions. Dec 28, 2024 Bitcoin and Bud: Crypto Offers Cultivators a Secure Financial Tool to Protect Their Interests. Dec 23, 2024 Save the Date: 2025 Gauteng Cannabis Expo to be held on 30 and 31 May. Dec 22, 2024 Cannabis and Private Property – How Private Are Sectional Title Schemes? Dec 21, 2024 Synergy Wellness: Building a Medical Cannabis Eco-System from the Ground Up. Dec 21, 2024 Cannabis Australia 2024: Inappropriate Policies Out of Kilter With Public Opinion. Dec 21, 2024 Labat Releases 2024 Financials: Historical Loss of R272 m Carried Forward But Directors Say it is a Going Concern Dec 19, 2024 Let the Cannabis Games Begin: MBOSA Muscles in on Cullinan's Law Firm Dec 17, 2024 Ghana Launches Chamber of Cannabis Industry to Guide Policy and Set Standards. Dec 17, 2024 Reach the decision-makers Classified Listings Cannabiz Africa is the continent's premier B2B news platform. We reach the main industry stakeholders with over 4000+ unique users per month and 1500 Newsline subscribers - and growing. Reach the decision-makers in the African Cannabis industry by selling your products or services in Cannabiz Africa's classifieds. Rates are R 1000 (ex VAT) for one month's placement. Click Here to complete the form to list your brand, product and or services. INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Medical Cannabis Investment Opportunities in W Cape Cape Town is your ideal SA location to invest in the fast-growing South African medicinal cannabis market. The Wesgro Trade Unit provides a free and confidential service to help you establish and grow your business in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Contact us through the Wesgro One Stop Investment Shop here to find out why you should be investing in the Western Cape pharmaceutical hub. EXPORTS Top Quality SA Flower Available for Export SafriCanna is a SAHPRA-registered cultivation and processing facility whose efforts are focused on the growth, cultivation, processing, and export of Medicinal EU-GMP Cannabis products to international markets. See our catalogue of flower products here , Phone: + 27 (0) 10 880 6269; Email: info@safricanna.com, or contact us here GROW EQUIPMENT CapeCanna LED Lights Sale Now On CapeCanna is your hydroponic cannabis cultivation specialist. We offer the complete range of high quality equipment to set you up. Right now there's a sale on LED grow lights. Click here to buy. We deliver nationwide. LEGAL SERVICES Schindlers Dedicated Cannabis Law Department For All Legal Requirements Schindlers is South Africa’s first law firm to have a department dedicated to ‘M&R’ (‘medicinal’ & ‘recreational’) cannabis law, advising both international and local clients. We have been experts in the Cannabis field for years, and were instrumental in cases leading to the Constitutional Court ruling that legalized the personal consumption of cannabis in a private space. Click here to get connected with us . CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT RockandRolled: Your One-Stop Shop for Cannabis Cultivation Gear Specialists in AC Infinity grow equipment and much more - from homegrow to commercial set-ups. All your pre- to -post harvesting requirements under one roof at www.rockandrolled.co.za . You won't be disappointed in our range and quality. Easy, secure payments, delivery nationwide. PRIVATE CLUBS Setting Up a Private Cannabis Club? GrowOneAfrica Gets You There Our self-regulatory grow club model supports the non-commercial, responsible sharing of cannabis within private social clubs with full tracking available on all cannabis products shared. Our model encourages good business practices, ultimately supporting sustainable small business growth within this new industry. To start your club journey contact Kirsten now: compliance@growone.africa " CANNABIS CONSULTANTS Thinking of Investing in SA Cannabis Cultivation? Call Us First White Lion Consulting has been a pioneer in the South African cannabis industry, specializing in helping internatonal and local investors find opportunities, draw up business plans, design facilities and obtain SAHPRA approval. Check out our website, www.whitelionholdings.co.za and out our feature in MMJ.Daily For more information contact Cornel van de Watt cornel@whitelionholdings.co.za . CANNABIS EXPO Gauteng Cannabis Expo 2025: Book Your Space The Gauteng Cannabis Expo returns bigger and better next year. It will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 30 and 31 May 2025. Get in early for sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor bookings. Contact Sarah for more details at sarah@thecannabisexpo.co.za . OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS Struggling with Offtake Agreements, Call Nexus Nexus is an agri-pharma company offering value addd services to the South African Cannabis Industry. We specialize in exporting final packaged products and cannabis flower to international markets, including the UK, Australia, UAE, Europe, and the USA. Read our Cannabiz Africa story here and then Contact us here FULL SERVICES Cheeba Gets Your Cannabis Project Going Cheeba Africa is a pioneering company providing Cannabis & hemp services across the supply chain. Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Academy - Africa's leading & only Higher Education accredited national education and training offering. Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Consulting - Offering services from medical farm builds to offtakes. www.cheebaafrica.com www.cheebacannabisconsulting.com JOBS OFFERED Budtenders wanted in Limpopo Experienced budtenders sought for private clubs in Polokwane, Hoedspruit, Tzaneen and Haenertsberg. Ideally people who already live in those areas and have a Cheeba or comparable certification. People without experience should not reply. For more details contact Liz at lizviv7@gmail.com Classified Advertising Form Complete the following form field fields to list your brand, product and or business in our classified section. Company name First name Last name Email Phone Category Sector Headline Actual Advertising Copy Website URL Product* CannaBiz Classified ZAR 1000 Submit What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

Discover and explore a curated cannabis Business Directory. Coming soon. Cannabiz Africa Marketplace The Business of Cannabis Find out who’s doing what in the rapidly evolving African cannabis market. Your trusted source of business news and views, investment opportunities, corporate developments and our Meet the Team Business Directory. COMING IN FRESH MARKETPLACE BREAKING NEWS Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act Read More The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted. Read More It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act 28 March 2025 at 09:00:00 The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Read More Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud 28 March 2025 at 07:45:00 It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward. Read More UN Bans HHC or ‘Synthetic Cannabis’ for Worldwide Non-Medical Use 27 March 2025 at 07:00:00 South Africa voted along with 49 other nations to ban hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) at the UN Commission on Psychotropic Substances (CND) in Vienna earlier this month. HHC, which is synthetically derived and similar in effect to THC, has been widely available legally in many parts of the US and Europe. Read More Vayej: ‘The President’s Call to Lift ‘The Ban’ Is Pivotal to Moving Towards Industry Transparency’ 26 March 2025 at 20:00:00 Open Farms chairman Shaad Vayej says the President’s move to lift ‘The Ban’ signals a much needed shift towards as transparency and stakeholder engagement in formulating future policy. Read More Botswana Hosts Major Hemp Indaba to Chart Regulatory Way Forward 26 March 2025 at 19:30:00 Botswana will once again get a chance to showcase its bold vision to incorporate hemp into its economy when it hosts the Inaugural Hemp Business Summit in Gaborone on 5 April 2025. Read More Silverleaf’s Weiss: President’s Rapid Response Lifting The Ban Bodes Well, Let’s Give Enabling Legislation the Same Urgency 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 The Director of South Africa’s first dedicated cannabis investment fund, Silverleaf Investments, Darryl Weiss (pictured here), says he didn't expect the President’s decisiveness in lifting the controversial cannabis in foodstuffs ban. He says the same urgency should be applied in following this through with enabling legislation to unlock the domestic cannabis market. Read More Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Read More Energy Crunch Facing US Indoor Growers – Gas Emmissions Now Equal that of 10 m Cars 26 March 2025 at 09:30:00 The economics of cannabis cultivation are starting to hurt US farmers dependent on indoor growing facilities. A new study shows there’s renewed interest in outdoor growing as the environmental – and financial – costs of indoor grow ops mount. Read More President Ramaphosa Orders Cannabis Foodstuff Ban to Be Lifted Immediately 25 March 2025 at 18:00:00 President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to withdraw the controversial ban on cannabis in foodstuffs with immediate effect. He’s also ordered the Minister to begin consultations with stakeholders before issuing any further notice on the matter. This is a statement from the Presidency. Read More BREAKING BUSINESS NEWS THE CANNABIZ CLASSIFIEDS Cannabiz Africa is the continent's premier B2B news platform. We reach the main industry stakeholders with over 4000+ unique users per month and 1500 Newsline subscribers - and growing. Click Here to advertise. INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Cape Town is your ideal SA location to invest in the fast-growing South African medicinal cannabis market. The Wesgro Trade Unit provides a free and confidential service to help you establish and grow your business in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Contact us through the Wesgro One Stop Investment Shop here to find out why you should be investing in the Western Cape pharmaceutical hub. EXPORTS SafriCanna is a SAHPRA-registered cultivation and processing facility whose efforts are focused on the growth, cultivation, processing, and export of Medicinal EU-GMP Cannabis products to international markets. See our catalogue of flower products here , Phone: + 27 (0) 10 880 6269; Email: info@safricanna.com, or contact us here GROW EQUIPMENT CapeCanna is your hydroponic cannabis cultivation specialist. We offer the complete range of high quality equipment to set you up. Right now there's a sale on LED grow lights. Click here to buy. We deliver nationwide. LEGAL SERVICES Schindlers is South Africa’s first law firm to have a department dedicated to ‘M&R’ (‘medicinal’ & ‘recreational’) cannabis law, advising both international and local clients. We have been experts in the Cannabis field for years, and were instrumental in cases leading to the Constitutional Court ruling that legalized the personal consumption of cannabis in a private space. Click here to get connected with us . CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT Specialists in AC Infinity grow equipment and much more - from homegrow to commercial set-ups. All your pre- to -post harvesting requirements under one roof at www.rockandrolled.co.za . You won't be disappointed in our range and quality. Easy, secure payments, delivery nationwide. PRIVATE CLUBS Our self-regulatory grow club model supports the non-commercial, responsible sharing of cannabis within private social clubs with full tracking available on all cannabis products shared. Our model encourages good business practices, ultimately supporting sustainable small business growth within this new industry. To start your club journey contact Kirsten now: compliance@growone.africa " CANNABIS CONSULTANTS White Lion Consulting has been a pioneer in the South African cannabis industry, specializing in helping internatonal and local investors find opportunities, draw up business plans, design facilities and obtain SAHPRA approval. Check out our website, www.whitelionholdings.co.za and out our feature in MMJ.Daily For more information contact Cornel van de Watt cornel@whitelionholdings.co.za . CANNABIS EXPO The Gauteng Cannabis Expo returns bigger and better next year. It will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 30 and 31 May 2025. Get in early for sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor bookings. Contact Sarah for more details at sarah@thecannabisexpo.co.za . OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS Nexus is an agri-pharma company offering value addd services to the South African Cannabis Industry. We specialize in exporting final packaged products and cannabis flower to international markets, including the UK, Australia, UAE, Europe, and the USA. Read our Cannabiz Africa story here and then Contact us here FULL SERVICES Cheeba Africa is a pioneering company providing Cannabis & hemp services across the supply chain. Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Academy - Africa's leading & only Higher Education accredited national education and training offering. Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Consulting - Offering services from medical farm builds to offtakes. www.cheebaafrica.com www.cheebacannabisconsulting.com JOBS OFFERED Experienced budtenders sought for private clubs in Polokwane, Hoedspruit, Tzaneen and Haenertsberg. Ideally people who already live in those areas and have a Cheeba or comparable certification. People without experience should not reply. For more details contact Liz at lizviv7@gmail.com Africa Premier Cannabis Academy Get educated, get involved, and get ahead in the Cannabis and Hemp Industry. Choose from a range of our online self-study and blended learning Cannabis courses where you can study at your own pace and join online classes. Or join us at our Rivonia (Johannesburg) flagship campus or our Plettenberg Bay satellite campus for full and part-time study opportunities or check out our workshops, short courses and master classes that we hold in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Contact us at email: info@cheebaafrica.com or call our Business Whatsapp line on 073 384 3721. What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

Cannabiz-Africa is your hub for all cannabis news and resources. Everything from breaking news, cannabis politics, business investments, legal policies and a marketplace network where we connect you with local businesses. Be in the know with the hottest, freshest and most up-to date hemp movements. BREAKING South African News Cannabiz Africa brings you the hottest breaking South African cannabis news right here! From crucial developments in laws and reform to socio-economic changes in the industry. Find your latest dose of breaking news right here and stay onto of the earliest developments! Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act Read More The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted. Read More It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act 28 March 2025 at 09:00:00 The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. Read More Cabinet Privately Reprimands Health Minister, Nips Department’s 'Grand Plan’ in the Bud 28 March 2025 at 07:45:00 It’s not clear exactly what the Health Department’s unilateral ‘grand plan’ for cannabis and foodstuffs was, but it has come crashing down before it got out the starting blocks. Cabinet is understood to have chastised the Health Minister for trying to go it alone and told him that stakeholder consultation is critical going forward. Read More Vayej: ‘The President’s Call to Lift ‘The Ban’ Is Pivotal to Moving Towards Industry Transparency’ 26 March 2025 at 20:00:00 Open Farms chairman Shaad Vayej says the President’s move to lift ‘The Ban’ signals a much needed shift towards as transparency and stakeholder engagement in formulating future policy. Read More Silverleaf’s Weiss: President’s Rapid Response Lifting The Ban Bodes Well, Let’s Give Enabling Legislation the Same Urgency 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 The Director of South Africa’s first dedicated cannabis investment fund, Silverleaf Investments, Darryl Weiss (pictured here), says he didn't expect the President’s decisiveness in lifting the controversial cannabis in foodstuffs ban. He says the same urgency should be applied in following this through with enabling legislation to unlock the domestic cannabis market. Read More Stakeholder Pressure Gets The Ban Lifted, Now The Momentum Shifts to Getting Legislation Sorted 26 March 2025 at 17:00:00 It was overwhelming stakeholder pressure that pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively in reversing his Health Minister’s horrific blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Can this energy be harnessed into getting Government to put a commercial framework on the table? Read More President Ramaphosa Orders Cannabis Foodstuff Ban to Be Lifted Immediately 25 March 2025 at 18:00:00 President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to withdraw the controversial ban on cannabis in foodstuffs with immediate effect. He’s also ordered the Minister to begin consultations with stakeholders before issuing any further notice on the matter. This is a statement from the Presidency. Read More Thanks to the Health Minister SA Now Has One of the Most Restrictive Food Policies in the World 25 March 2025 at 10:45:00 South Africa now has one of the most restrictive food policies in the world following the ban on hemp foodstuffs. Open Farms chairman and attorney, Shaad Vayej (pictured here), says government should be aligning with international best practice in developing the hemp sector, but has instead imposed “a backward-looking restriction that harms businesses, limits consumer access, and contradicts prior regulations.” Read More ‘He Needs to be Charged or Fired!’ CTAA Prepares Interdict, Says Health Minister has been ‘Criminally Negligent’ 25 March 2025 at 07:00:00 The push-back is gaining momentum as more cannabis stakeholders gear up for lawfare against the hemp foodstuff ban. The CTAA is to preparing to file an interdict against the Health Minister, saying his actions could be construed as criminally negligent, and “he needs to be charged or fired.” Read More W Cape Slams 'The Ban' as a ‘Direct Assault on Economic Growth and Job Creation’ 24 March 2025 at 06:30:00 The Western Cape’s plan to develop a cannabis and hemp economy has been derailed by the Health Minister’s ‘ill-considered” blanket ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Ivan Meyer, the province’s Agriculture MEC, says central government must move swiftly to reverse the ban before further damage is done. Read More The Ban: Here Comes the First Legal Challenge Along With Claims for Millions in Damages 23 March 2025 at 08:30:00 Hemp businessman Hennie Venter is leading the legal charge against the Health Minister with a court application to have the cannabis foodstuff ban overturned. He says he is bringing the action on behalf of all entrepreneurs who have seen their investments “go down in flames” because of the ban. Read More Zimbabwe’s 'Dr Zoey': The Region Should Harmonize Regulations And Market Itself as a Solid Bloc on World Markets 22 March 2025 at 13:15:00 Imagine a ‘Cannabis SADEC’ in which the member countries harmonized their regulatory criteria and worked as a solid bloc to market southern African medical and industrial cannabis to the world. That’s the vision of Zimbabwe’s leading cannabis change-maker, Dr Zorodzai Maroveke who says that would make a real difference Africa’s prospects of becoming a real player in the global game. Read More Ministers Run for Cover as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Turns Into a Political Issue and Heads for the Courts 22 March 2025 at 10:00:00 Two weeks after Dr Aaron Motsoaled’s shock ban on cannabis in foodstuff, the Health Minister has yet to make a public statement or explain the intentions behind his actions which have wreaked havoc beyond the hemp industry. Neither has the DTIC nor the Presidency said a word about the major policy blunder that has derailed the Cannabis Master Plan and now become a political issue. Read More PM Keichel Warns Foodstuff Ban is Binding Even Though It is Legally Flawed 22 March 2025 at 07:30:00 As absurd as the hemp foodstuff ban may be, it is legally binding until such time as the Minister rescinds it or it is set aside by a court. That's just how it is, says leading cannabis lawyer Paul Michael Keichel even though legal commentators have slammed the ban as 'unconstitutional', 'illogical' and 'unenforcable'. Read More Cannabis Master Plan Descends into ‘Omnishambles’ as Hemp Foodstuff Ban Reveals Serious Faultlines at Cabinet Level 19 March 2025 at 20:30:00 Seven years after Government unveiled the Cannabis Master Plan, the sad truth has been laid bare: “There is no commercialization policy, there is no economic or industrial strategy, there is no plan”. That’s the view of leading private sector cannabis consultant M Ayanda Bam, who says all the stakeholder engagement with government now seems to have been a waste of time. Read More Enua Signs 10 Ton Offtake Order With Nexus, Opening a New Door for SA Farmers to the Lucrative German Market 19 March 2025 at 16:00:00 Major German medical cannabis distributor Enua has expressed its confidence in the quality of South African export cannabis production and is seeking a long-term relationship with SAHPRA licensees through biomass processor Nexus. Read More Make Them Pay! Call for Govt Officials Responsible for the Hemp Foodstuff Ban to be Held Personally Liable for Damages 19 March 2025 at 10:00:00 As damages from the hemp foodstuff ban mount with no sign of the Health Ministry backing down, lawyers are being briefed to put together a court challenge. Industry anger is growing as millions of rand are being lost, and now there’s a call for responsible officials to be sued in their personal capacity. Read More Health Minster Had Already Decided on the Hemp Foodstuff Ban Before SONA, so Why Didn’t He Tell the President? 19 March 2025 at 08:00:00 Over 1 000 businesses and 400 SMME’s have been affected by the Health Minister’s ‘inexplicable’ ban on hemp foodstuffs and are bleeding millions of rand. The shock announcement has derailed the President’s cannabis vision and laid bare the policy rot at the core of the Cannabis Master Plan Read More DTIC: ‘Stop Dealing in Cannabis-Related Foodstuff Until Such Time as the Ban May Be Lifted’ 18 March 2025 at 18:30:00 The DTIC says although the ban on hemp foodstuffs does not fit in with the Cannabis Master Plan, the law is the law, and dealing in all such products “must cease”. It said it would engage with the Department of Health to relook at the ban but offered little solace to stakeholders who stand to lose millions of rand in the meantime. Read More Minister a ‘No Show’ for Hemp Webinar But Senior Health Official Says Stakeholder Concerns ‘Will Be Addressed’ 18 March 2025 at 15:00:00 Senior Health officials have started ‘walking back’ the controversial ban on hemp foodstuffs saying it’s part of a ‘regulatory process’ and that the Minister will ‘address the concerns raised’ by the hemp industry. Read More Hear the Health Minister Here on Cannabiz Africa 12h00 Tuesday, 18 March 17 March 2025 at 15:00:00 Cannabiz Africa in association with Cheeba will be livestreaming the 'What the Hemp' Webinar at 12h00 on Tuesday, 18 March 2025. Health Minister Aaron Mostsoaledi will appear on the platform to explain the reasons behind the ban in cannabis foodstuffs. See below for the link Read More ‘Suspend the Ban, Let’s Talk Guidelines for Cannabis in Foodstuff’ 17 March 2025 at 06:30:00 Top Government officials are being drawn into the Health Department's ban on cannabis in foodstuffs. Lawyer Charl Botha has written to the President saying the ban is unconstitutional and should be suspended while proper regulatory guidelines are put in place. Read More Hemp Organization Suspicious of Motivation Behind Ban, Threatens Court Action 15 March 2025 at 11:00:00 Hemp activists are mobilizing resources to take on the Minister of Health’s surprise ban on cannabis in all foodstuffs. FOHSA says its prepared to challenge the ban in court as it is unconstitutional and is concerned about what the real reasons behind the restrictions are. Read More Health Dept Moves to Calm Industry Nerves: ‘Cannabis Food Ban is Start of Regulatory Process’ 15 March 2025 at 07:00:00 Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale says the recent sudden ban of cannabis in foodstuffs was done in the name of consumer safety. He hinted that the ban would not be permanent but the start of a regulatory process to assess cannabis products before they appear on shelves. Read More Health Minister Agrees to Face the Nation on Cannabis Foodstuff Ban 14 March 2025 at 12:45:00 Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has agreed to appear on a Cheeba emergency stakeholder webinar on the crisis facing the hemp industry following last week’s cannabis foodstuff ban. To date the Minister has not explained his reasons for the surprise ban but he’s expected to do so next Tuesday, 12h00 along with a range of other guests on the Webinar entitled, What the Hemp. REGISTER HERE Read More Food, Beverages and The Cannabis Ban: What the Law Says 14 March 2025 at 11:30:00 The cannabis and health food industry is still reeling from last week’s ban on cannabis in all food and beverages. The ban will be a hard hit for legitimate businesses in this sector, while the ‘grey zone’ will do as it always pleases. Brett Pollack from cannabis consultancy Harambe Solutions offers a legal perspective Read More SA Cannabis Reform Now Seriously Unravelling; Can DTIC’s New Team Fix the Mess Created by Other Departments? 18 March 2025 at 09:30:00 It’s been six months since the DTIC was given responsibility for the National Cannabis Master Plan and since then cannabis reform has fragmented and turned ugly. The Department is putting together a special team to tackle cannabis commercialization, but without effective leadership at the top, it's being tasked with ‘mission impossible’. Read More Business Owners Guide to Dealing with the Edibles Ban 12 March 2025 at 17:00:00 Here's a practical guide as to what the ban on cannabis in all foodstuffs means for the business owner. Read More Health Minister's Cannabis Foods Ban Unleashes a Chorus of Condemnation 12 March 2025 at 13:00:00 Health Minister Aaron Mostoaledi’s decision to ban cannabis in foodstuffs has revealed the deep policy faultlines running through Government and widespread condemnation from industry stakeholders. The ban threatens to derail the National Cannabis Masterplan and undermines the President’s commitment to developing the hemp industry. Read More Appeal to President: 'Retract the Ban on Cannabis in Foodstuff, It Could Kill the Hemp Industry 12 March 2025 at 09:45:00 Hemp seeds have been regularly available on South African shelves for four decades and are now outlawed under the Health Minister's surprise ban on cannabis in foodstuff. The ban is bad news for the hemp industry generally and Cheeba Cannabis Academy has written an open letter to President Ramaphosa urging him to immediately rescind the ban before further harm is done. Read More Applications Open: DTIC Seeks Project Manager for Cannabis Master Plan 12 March 2025 at 07:00:00 The DTIC has restructured and seeking a project manager for the National Cannabis Master Plan: You're Interested? Apply Here Read More Shock Announcement! Health Minister Suddenly Bans Cannabis in All Foods and Beverages! 11 March 2025 at 08:45:00 In an astounding regulatory development, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, has issued a notice banning the use of cannabis in foodstuffs. The announcement in the Government Gazette of 7 March 2025, has left cannabis stakeholders stunned, as this flies in the face of the Presidency’s cannabis vision and undermines the National Cannabis Master Plan. Read More UCT Study Reveals About 5% of High School Kids Use Cannabis Regularly and Warns of Alarming Rise in Vaping 10 March 2025 at 11:30:00 About five percent of South African high school students use cannabis on a monthly basis. That’s according to a recent UCT study on vaping, which highlighted the health dangers of adolescents using e-cigarettes and encouraged parents to discourage the habit. Read More SAPS Reveals ‘Da Culture’ is an Ongoing Undercover Operation Against Illegal Cannabis Outlets in KZN 10 March 2025 at 08:15:00 Seven people have been arrested as a result of a four year SAPS undercover operation targeting illicit cannabis dealing networks in Kwa Zulu Natal. Police say the operation, in which plainclothes police officers target ‘grey zone’ outlets pretending to be customers, is ongoing. Read More Hawks Hail Prosecution of Pensioner Producing Cannabis Therapeutic Products as a ‘Significant Win’ in the Fight Against Drugs 9 March 2025 at 09:30:00 Random prosecutions continue against ‘grey zone’ operators with the Hawks hailing the conviction of an elderly Somerset West woman for dealing in R50 000 worth of cannabis-related products as a ‘significant win’ in efforts to curb the ‘illegal drug trade’. Read More Durban Medical Cannabis Expert Encourages Mainstream Doctors to Make More Use of Section 21 But Warns Against Being “Led Astray” By the Illicit Market 5 March 2025 at 20:30:00 Durban medical cannabis expert Dr Yernush Naidoo says more mainstream doctors are becoming aware of the healing qualities of cannabis, but that most practioners are ignorant of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Read More Labat Lowers Cannabis Exposure, Raises IT Profile with R25 million Deal to Acquire Software Importer Ahnamu 5 March 2025 at 19:00:00 Labat Africa has spent over R40 million buying into two IT companies in the last few months, signalling its intention to reduce its dependence on its cannabis business. While the board is reviewing the risks associated with Cannafrica, its biggest cannabis business, its pivoting purposefully into the infotech arena. Read More ECRDA's Perspective on the Mpondoland Hemp Seed Recall Row 5 March 2025 at 14:00:00 Response to the Cannabiz Africa News Article Entitled : “Medigrow Recalls Hemp Seed Distributed in Mpondoland, Says ECRDA to Blame for ‘Misunderstanding with Legacy Growers’ Read More ECRDA Says its Championing Local Landraces as it gets Caught in the Mpondoland Hemp War Crossfire 5 March 2025 at 13:30:00 The ECRDA says it’s committed to supporting legacy cannabis farmers and is in the process of registering local landrace seeds for commercial use. But it points out that its mandate is also to help hemp permit holders grow imported genetics and that it has to manage these competing dynamics. Read More NPA To Issue Cannabis Arrest Guidelines ‘Soon’, But No Sign Yet of Cannabis Act Regulations 3 March 2025 at 09:00:00 A senior policeman has confirmed that the National Prosecuting Authority is to issue new guidelines regarding cannabis arrests ‘soon’. However, these guidelines depend on what regulations govern the Cannabis Act, a task the Justice Department has been sitting on for nine months. Read More Prince Says No Progress as Police Play Hardball at Rasta Round Table, Insist on Upholding Their Rights to ‘Search and Arrest’ 1 March 2025 at 10:00:00 The SAHRC-convened Rasta Round Table in Gauteng this week made little progress in its campaign to halt cannabis arrests. The cops agreed to ‘sensitivity training’ for SAPS members, but would not back down on their rights to ‘search and seizure’. Rasta leader Ras Gareth Prince (pictured here) said afterwards, it was clear that Government was not serious about negotiating in good faith. Read More Medigrow: 'We Are Fulfilling Our Obligations to Govt Not Forcing Hemp on Mpondoland' 26 February 2025 at 18:00:00 This is the full statement from Medigrow clarifying its relationships with Eastern Cape provincial government departments and Mpondoland cannabis farmers over the hemp issue Read More Medigrow Recalls Hemp Seed Distributed in Mpondoland, Saying ECRDA Should Carry the Can for ‘Misunderstanding’ 26 February 2025 at 15:00:00 Medigrow CEO Edgar Adams (pictured here) has moved swiftly to calm rising tensions over hemp in Mpondoland. The company has withdrawn the hemp seeds distributed to a select group of farmers and has met with the Mpondoland Cannabis Belt Association farmers to allay fears that their landraces were under threat. Read More Silence of the SOPAs: Not a Word from E Cape and Gauteng Premiers on Any 2025 Plan for Industrial Cannabis to Create Jobs 26 February 2025 at 11:15:00 The Eastern Cape Premier never misses an opportunity to promote cannabis development so why the mysterious silence on the subject during his SOPA? And Gauteng? Not even a SOPA whisper on how the country’s economic powerhouse intends to use industrial cannabis to uplift the poor and create jobs. Read More Cannabis Mission DRC: Cheeba to the Rescue to Fix Broken Hemp Project 26 February 2025 at 07:00:00 The DRC hasn’t featured much in the African legal cannabis landscape because the industry is going through the teething pains of developing an export market. A major industrial hemp project near Kinshasa ran into trouble with its first harvest and called in South African-based Cheeba Consultancy to help iron out the problems. Read More Nexus Cements Ties With German Investment Partners as it Brings Two Processing Faciities to Market 26 February 2025 at 06:00:00 Nexus Pharmaceuticals is consolidating its position in the cannabis ‘biomass’ processing space as its Gauteng facility nears completion and German investors jet in to formalize their relationship with the company. Read More Rastas and the Law Square Off at the Round Table to Halt Cannabis Arrests 26 February 2025 at 20:00:00 The South African Human Rights Commission convened the Rasta Round Table at the Birchwood Hotel on the East Rand on 26 February 2025. This was the first high profile meeting between Rastafarian representatives from all nine provinces and senior security cluster officials with the SAHRC's main aim being to halt cannabis arrests Read More Dr Gallow in Demand: SA’s ‘Medical Cannabis Ambassador’ Hits the World Stage After Concluding Ground-breaking SA Research 19 February 2025 at 12:30:00 Dr Shiksha Gallow recently wrapped up SA’s first Pharma-ethics and DOH approved clinical trials involving cannabis and has now become a highly sought after presenter in the international medical cannabis arena. She is presenting two papers in Brisbane this week at the CIU Australian Medical Cannabis Conference. This follows her whirlwind tour of USA, Costa Rica, Thailand and the Philippines in the past few months Read More KZN Players Reaching Out for New Industrial Cannabis Partnerships with France and China 19 February 2025 at 08:30:00 The KwaZulu Natal industrial cannabis sector is picking up with the construction of a large processing factory at Empangeni and provincial stakeholders forging relationships with French and Chinese hemp players. Read More FGFA’s Myrtle Clarke; 100 Years Of Prohibition Kept Alive by Government Ignorance 18 February 2025 at 12:00:00 Wednesday, 19 February 2025 marks 100 years of cannabis prohibition. In 1925, the Geneva Opium Convention declared 'Indian Hemp' as a banned substance. Although there are sweeping gains across the world, the prohibitionist mindset is far from over. Activist Myrtle Clarke, co-founder of FGFA says that unfortunately, when it comes to cannabis legalization, prohibitionist thinking remains alive and well in South Africa. Read More First High Profile Cases Emerge from KwaZulu Natal ‘Grey Zone’ Clampdown as Private Club Owners Face Charges for 'Dealing in THC' 14 February 2025 at 04:30:00 The owner of Durban private cannabis club Rooftop 420 has been arrested with three other club managers and all have been charged with illegally selling and distributing THC products four years ago. Read More Stirrings of Rural Resistance as Angry Legacy Growers Mobilize to Push Back Against Medigrow: “No Hemp in Mpondoland” 12 February 2025 at 18:00:00 The Lusikisiki Agreement between legacy growers and government agencies has fallen apart before the proverbial ink has dried. Mpondoland farmers have accused Government of breaking its word that no hemp would be introduced into the area without consultation and intends mobilizing local communities to resist Medigrow’s plans to distribute hemp seeds in the area. Read More Qure’s Brenda Marx: “Market Will Be Boosted By Govt Recognition of the Importance of Cannabis Testing 12 February 2025 at 15:00:00 The quiet announcement by the DTICC that product testing will be compulsory in funding applications is hugely significant says Qure's Brenda Marx. She says this requirement signals the start of a standardization process across the industry and will encourage laboratories to work more closely together. Read More DTIC Appoints Four Labs for Testing Cannabis Products as it Issues New Funding Guidelines 12 February 2025 at 11:00:00 The DTIC has issued new guidelines for entities seeking funding and has appointed Afriplex, NAFS, Qure and Vinlab as its official cannabis testing labs. The Department says funding applications for product development has to be accompanied by product test results from one of these four service providers. Read More Cannabis King Khoisan’s Protest Palace at the Union Buildings Demolished 12 February 2025 at 08:00:00 The Department of Public Works tore down the ramshackle residence of self-styled King Khoisan SA, this week. This effectively ends the King’s seven year protest occupation at Pretoria’s Union Buildings, where he became a tourist attraction, championing cannabis and indigenous rights. Read More SONA 2025: A World Within One Word Gives Private Sector Cannabis Stakeholders Some Hope 10 February 2025 at 15:00:00 Private sector cannabis stakeholders have taken an upbeat view of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s brief reference to cannabis and hemp in last week’s SONA. The fact that the word ‘commercial’ passed the President’s lips, has elicited an initial positive response from a fragmented industry awaiting guidelines on the way forward. Read More Presidency’s Control of Cannabis Reform Threatened by the Growing ‘Crisis of Illegality’ 5 February 2025 at 10:00:00 Since the landmark 2018 Concourt ruling, South African cannabis sector has been shaped by court decisions rather than driven by Government policy-makers. This has resulted in conflicting spheres of influence behind the scenes, the consequence of which is today’s seriously dysfunctional cannabis industry. Read More Eastern Cape Programme to Incentivize Landrace Cannabis Farmers to Switch to Hemp Begins 5 February 2025 at 06:00:00 The first hemp seeds have been distributed to a select group of Eastern Cape farmers as part of Medigrow’s ambitious Coega-based industrial cannabis partnership with the provincial government. Read More ‘The Hypocrisy of Democracy’: Prince Slams Government for Perpetuating Racism Through “Reckless” Cannabis Reform 3 February 2025 at 09:00:00 Leading South African cannabis activist, Ras Gareth Prince, says 'whites and Indians' are the main beneficiaries of the cannabis ‘grey zone’ retail boom while police continue their persecution of indigenous communities. He has accused Government of deepening South Africa’s racial divide by its lack of regulation around the cannabis industry. Read More Mpumulanga Police Seize 1,6 Tons of Illegal Cannabis in 10 Days 29 January 2025 at 21:00:00 In the last week police in Mpumulanga have arrested four men and seized a total of 1,6 tons of cannabis in stop-and-search operations in the area between White River and Louw’s Creek. Read More Van Rooyen Steps Down as Labat CEO After 30 Years as Group Pivots into IT Space 29 January 2025 at 20:30:00 Labat CEO Brian van Rooyen has resigned as CEO of the JSE-listed group as it announces a shift in strategy by moving into the IT space through the acquisition of Classic International Trading. He will be replaced by Irfaan Mohammed, who says the group will be reviewing the risks associated with the cannabis sector and decide on the appropriate way forward. Read More New Partnerships, New Paradigms: Eco Green Becomes SCIPP’s Satellite Lab To Research Indigenous Psychedelics 26 January 2025 at 08:30:00 Cape Town cannabis lab Eco Green Analytics has entered the traditional medicine research field by partnering with the Pretoria-based Southern Centre for Indigenous Psycho Pharma (SCIPP). It will offer its services to analyse medicines used by traditional healers and psylocibin mushrooms in a quest to unlock the therepeutic benefits of indigenous plants. Read More Mpondoland Municipalities Come Together to Develop Cannabis Strategies and Protect Landraces 24 January 2025 at 06:15:00 A grassroots initiative between local and central government to develop a cannabis economy in Mpondoland in the Eastern Cape is being spearheaded by the provincial development agency ECRDA. The development has now been formalized with an agreement at Luskisiki that brings together seven municipalities in the heartland of cannabis country into a common cannabis vision. Read More Police Raid ‘Grey Zone’ Newcastle Cannabis Manufacturer as Clampdown Intensifies 22 January 2025 at 04:30:00 Police have arrested two men in a raid on a ‘grey zone’ producer of cannabis and related products outside Newcastle in KZN. They seized a range of consumer products and dismantled a hydroponics lab and processing equipment. Read More Medigrow’s Ambitious Eastern Cape Industrial Cannabis Project Kicks Off as the Money Starts to Roll 21 January 2025 at 09:00:00 Medigrow’s billion rand Coega industrial cannabis project gets underway this month as equipment arrives on site in the Eastern Cape and the first hemp seeds are ready for delivery to small-scale rural growers. Read More Regulatory Nightmare Gets Worse: Cilo Cybin Quits SA Market “Until We Know Where We Can and Can’t Play” 19 January 2025 at 19:00:00 One of South Africa’s key medical cannabis players is pulling its CBD range from the local market completely because of the regulatory morass. Cilo Cybin says until such time as Government issues clear regulatory guidelines for the cannabis industry, it will pursue an export-only strategy. Read More Cilo Cybin Holdings Sitting on R60m; Shareholders Now Waiting for the Action 15 January 2025 at 10:00:00 Cilo Cybin Holdings has about R60 million in available capital as it goes into the new year. The group has just released its latest financials showing a healthy return on its investment income to date, but now that it has bedded down its assets, shareholders have high hopes this capital will be put to good effect in the year ahead. Read More SA’s Medical Cannabis Expertise Spreads its Wings: Dr Gallow Invited to Philippines to Support Legalization Bid 15 January 2025 at 06:30:00 South Africa’s ‘Medical Cannabis Ambassador’, Dr Shiksha Gallow, recently trained and certified 40 doctors in medical cannabis in the Philippines where the practice is generally outlawed. She was keynote speaker at a conference pushing to legalize medical cannabis and urged the Manilla government to accept the legitimacy of cannabis as a healing plant. Read More Three Trends Shaping the South African Cannabis Consumer Market 14 January 2025 at 05:30:00 There has never been more choice and greater convenience for South African cannabis consumers than what the retail ‘grey zone’ is offering right now. Although this sector is completely illegal, it has grown rapidly enough for credible consumer behaviour trends to emerge. These are the three to look out for. Read More Silverleaf’s Darryl Weisz: ‘DTIC Must Intervene as the System Has Been Set Up for Failure’ 14 January 2025 at 04:30:00 The DTIC must urgently take regulatory action to level the playing field in South Africa's cannabis industry and prevent the ‘wild west’ situation from spiralling further out of control. This is the plea from Silverleaf Investments, which argues that the current ‘grey zone’ is a significant setback for legitimate companies striving to earn an honest income in the cannabis sector. Read More Agbiz Chief Economist: Provinces Must Pressurize Central Government to Develop Clear Cannabis Regulations 11 January 2025 at 10:00:00 Leading agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo (pictured here) has called on South Africa’s provinces to pressurize national government into putting the right regulations in place to develop South Africa’s cannabis industry. Regulations, he emphasizes, are essential to guiding the market in an orderly way. Read More ‘Cannabis’ King Khoisan SA Injured, Suffers Tragic Loss in Accident After Union Buildings Eviction 11 January 2025 at 05:00:00 King Khoisan SA had become a tourist attraction at Pretoria’s seat of state where for years he paraded semi-naked and grew cannabis in a protest for indigenous rights. Now he has been formally evicted by Public Works only to be badly injured in a car accident in the Eastern Cape Read More Feeling the Squeeze: Over 25% SAHPRA Growers Deregistered in Last 3 Months 10 January 2025 at 08:00:00 A quarter of South Africa’s SAHPRA-licensed cannabis growers have been deregistered in the past three months. This reflects the difficulties export cultivators are facing in their struggle to crack international markets, tied-up capital and surplus inventory. Read More From the Far Side: SPCA Busts Limpopo Man for Smoking 'Live Snake' Bong 8 January 2025 at 13:15:00 The SPCA tracked down a Limpopo man, who went viral for smoking dagga from a bong containing a live snake, and got him sentenced for his "reprehensible "actions. Read More 2025: A Year for Removing the Rocks on the Road to Cannabis Reform 8 January 2025 at 13:00:00 The South African cannabis industry has gone through a painful few years, constrained by Government’s slow and shambolic approach to regulatory reform. The irony is that to date the ‘grey zone’ appears to have benefitted the most so far from the Constitutional Courts 2018 decision to legalize private consumption, while other sectors of the cannabis economy have lagged behind. So what lies in store for SA cannabis in the year ahead? Cannabiz Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber has a look ahead. Read More SAPS Accused of Turning West Coast Highway Route into Shakedown Street 6 January 2025 at 11:00:00 Police are allegedly targeting Rastafarians and other cannabis users on the N7 highway that serves the Cape West Coast. Veteran cannabis activist Garth Prince says there have been numerous reports that police make the arrests to ‘steal’ the suspects’ cannabis, a practice that has been going on for years. Read More 2025 to be the Year of Psychedelic Lawfare as State Opposes ConCourt Bid to Have Psilocybin Legalized 1 January 2025 at 09:00:00 The legal swords are being drawn in a new Constitutional Court challenge around plant medicine – this time psilocybin, also known as ‘magic mushrooms’. The apex court application to have psilocybin decriminalized along the same lines as cannabis was lodged last year. Now the State has given notice it intends to fight this as part of its ‘war against drugs’. Read More Happy New Year for Labat as JSE Lifts Suspension on Share Trading Now That Financials Are Up to Date 1 January 2025 at 07:00:00 New year has bought good news for Labat Africa. On 31 December 2024, the JSE lifted its 14 month suspension on the trading of the group’s shares after it finally posted its outstanding financials. Read More 50 Shades of ‘Grey Zone’: Cannabis Cowboys Drive the Rapid Rise of an Unregulated Retail Sector Worth Billions 25 December 2024 at 12:00:00 The ‘grey zone’ domestic cannabis retail market has exploded in 2024 has left regulators trailing in the dust. Although the sale of cannabis illegal unless it’s prescribed under Section 21 of the Medicines Act, thousands of ‘informal’ traders have brazenly opened shop across South Africa’s, selling cannabis flower and a host of related THC and CBD products. Read More Theron Consolidates Cilo Cybin’s Assets in R845 million Deal That Positions Group to Become a Major Player in African Medical Cannabis 25 December 2024 at 07:00:00 JSE-listed Cilo Cybin Holdings has just concluded its first major acquisition – the anticipated purchase of CC Pharmaceuticals. The multi-million rand deal will result in CCH taking control of the company’s Gauteng cultivation and processing facility and sets it up for growth in the cannabis healthcare space. Read More Human Rights Commission Calls for Christmas Halt to Cannabis Arrests 24 December 2024 at 07:00:00 The South African Human Rights Commission has raised alarms over ongoing arrests of Rastafari and cannabis users despite cannabis being decriminalised in South Africa. Read More The Sweetwaters Switch: Labat Ditches Exports in Favour of Supplying Flower to Local CannAfrica Outlets 23 December 2024 at 15:00:00 Labat has shifted the focus of its Sweetwaters cannabis cultivation facility away from exports to servicing the domestic market. It’s done so to meet the huge consumer demand generated by its expanding CannAfrica nationwide retail footprint. Read More How is Govt's Fight Against Substance Abuse Going to Deal With the Most Widely-Used Illicit Substance it Intends Legalizing? 23 December 2024 at 11:00:00 Now that cannabis is to be removed from the Drugs Act, the next big challenge is how it is incorporated into a new National Drug Master Plan. The old one has just expired and a review is underway on how cannabis should be dealt with in substance abuse and crime prevention strategies and laws going forward. Read More West Rand Cannabis Hub Crystalizes Around VitaCann’s Carltonville Facility 23 December 2024 at 08:00:00 Central to government’s cannabis development vision is the concept of public/private sector partnerships. One such venture that has successfully emerged in Gauteng is VitaCann Pharm’s incubation by the provincial agriculture department which has turned its Carltonville facility into a fully-fledged export business. Read More Labat Releases 2024 Financials: Historical Loss of R272 m Carried Forward But Directors Say it is a Going Concern 18 December 2024 at 11:00:00 Labat Africa’s historical losses are coming to light as the JSE-listed company gets its books up to date. It’s lost a ton of money in its quest to be South Africa’s cannabis heavyweight as it tries to find the right business mix to navigate unfavourable regulations. Read More Regulating Traditional Healers Will Reshape South Africa’s Medical Certification Landscape. 18 December 2024 at 06:00:00 The NPA says the Traditional Healers Act is being used as a front for cannabis retail and is illegal. This may be the case now, but there’s a whole debate coming about what constitutes medicine as the Government moves to bring traditional healers into the mainstream via a new set of regulations. Read More No I Didn't Spike Your Drink! Peruvian Cactus Medicine Comes to Town 17 December 2024 at 10:00:00 A young Gauteng entrepreneur, Moishe Schneider, has introduced South American plant medicine into the South African alternative plant therapy scene. He is championing the the Huachuma cactus plant from Peru as a ‘heart opening’ medicine in his initiative, the Healing House. Read More Want to Grow Hemp in KZN? Need Govt Support? Act Now as Permit Applications Close End January 2025. 17 December 2024 at 08:00:00 KZN’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has put out a call to prospective hemp farmers in the province who need support, to make contact by the end of January 2025 at any of their local offices. Read More Top International Recognition for South Africa’s Leading ‘Magic Mushroom’ Scientist 15 December 2024 at 14:00:00 Free State University geneticist Dr Marieka Gryzenhout, the author of the first formal study of psilocybin in South Africa, has been recognized by Stanford University as among the top 2 % of scientists in the world. Read More Searching for Sanity: Scientists Seek Solutions for Modern Mental Health Issues by Understanding Africa’s Ancient Plant Medicines 15 December 2024 at 09:00:00 A ground-breakng new ‘psycho-pharma research centre has been launched at the University of Pretoria to delve into the mysteries of African psychedelics and other medicinal plants to explore their potential to treat modern mental health conditions. Read More Let the Games Begin: MBOSA Muscles in on Cullinan’s Law Firm with ‘Urgent’ Appeal to Cannabis Master Plan’s Secretive Steerco. 11 December 2024 at 05:30:00 Who knows what the National Cannabis Master Plan’s Steering Committee is up to? Well, whatever that is they should put it aside immediately to consider an “urgent” request by the Marijuana Board of South Africa to hold an “inquiry” into leading cannabis law firm, Cullinan and Associates in the interests of ‘transparency’. Read More What Future is there for the Man Who Literally Sang the Praises of Mandela, Gadaffi, Castro and Chavez? Why, a Seat at the Cannabis Master Plan Top Table of Course! 11 December 2024 at 05:00:00 President Ramaphosa must think cannabis reform is in for a bit of song and dance because he’s appointed Nelson Mandela’s ‘Imbobgi Yesizwe’ to represent traditional leaders on the National Cannabis Master Plan’s Steering Committee. Read More Leaked NPA Guide on ‘Dagga Dealing Shops’ is Confusing But Appears to Endorse Private Cannabis Club Model 10 December 2024 at 12:00:00 Heaven help any poor prosecutor trying to make sense of “Dagga Shops Dealing in Dagga, a Practical Guide’, prepared by the National Prosecuting Authority in KZN. The document, prohibitionist by nature and confusing in presentation, indicates the NPA’s approach to cannabis offences now that the Drugs Act is on the way out. Read More First South Africans Test Positive For Fentanyl as Killer Drug Surfaces in KZN and E Cape 9 December 2024 at 05:00:00 The first signs have emerged that South Africa is heading for a fentanyl crisis. Clinics in KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape report that patients have, for the first time, tested positive for the opioid that has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the United States. Read More Mthatha ma Chance: Cheeba and Township Cannabis Incubator Launch Skills and Business Development Project in Eastern Cape. 6 December 2024 at 10:00:00 Cheeba Africa has formed a partnership with the Township Cannabis Incubator to set up a cannabis training and market development drive in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. The aim to match skills and business incubation to take on poverty in the heartland of South African cannabis. Read More Labat Expects “Third Party Financial Assistance” as It Reports Diminishing Losses for F2024 4 December 2024 at 15:00:00 Labat Africa will post a 3,7 cents headline loss per share for the year ending May 2024 which is not half as bad as the previous corresponding period. It’s also changed its company secretary at the insistence of a third party who may provide financial assistance. Read More Just When You Thought You Were No Longer a Criminal, Take a Look at the New Cannabis Transgression Laws Coming Your Way 4 December 2024 at 07:00:00 The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act will replace the Drugs Act as the main tool in the Justice Department’s kit to punish cannabis offences – as soon as that law is promulgated. Here’s a summary of the new sanctions contained in the Act Read More Synergy Wellness: Building a Medical Cannabis Eco-System from the Ground Up 3 December 2024 at 10:00:00 Section 21 of the Medicines Act is the only way South Africans can buy cannabis legally so there's obviously been a surge of new ‘grey zone’ operators offering this service. Given that Section 21 itself is being so widely interpreted, where does the line of compliance lie? Cannabiz Africa spoke to market leader Synergy Wellness to find out more. Read More ARC Identifies Main Bio-Threats Facing Cannabis Farmers; Starts Developing New Crop Health Strategies 3 December 2024 at 09:00:00 ARC has spent the last two years studying the diseases affecting cannabis and hemp. Field trips in Limpopo and Gauteng have identified a number of threats to mono-cultural cannabis cultivation and government researchers are using this data to put together appropriate crop health strategies. Read More Give Us the ‘Sandbox' Already! Premier’s Urgent Plea to Enable Medigrow’s Multi-Million Rand Coega Cannabis Investment 1 December 2024 at 08:00:00 E Cape Premier Wants a "Regulatory Sandbox" in Place Urgently to Enable Medigrow's Multimillion Rand Coega Cannabis Investment Read More Moving on Up! Cheeba’s Higher Certificate Course has Become Africa’s First Officially Recognized Cannabis Education Qualification 29 November 2024 at 08:00:00 Cheeba Africa operates at a foundational level in cannabis development, providing the basic skills, training and education that is the bedrock of any sunrise industry. After years of persistence it has finally clinched official recognition for its Higher Certificate in Cannabis Production & Management course, providing a new basic industry standard. Read More What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

Discover and explore the health and wellness news and curated resources within South Africa. This is currently being curated to recommend only the best. Subscribe to our website to get notified on the launch. CANNABIZ AFRICA RESEARCH & INNOVATION The cannabis industry is at the juxtaposition of many disciplines: agriculture, science and technology, genetics, health, medicine, manufacturing, textiles, construction, finance and much more. Cannabis legalization, in a variety of forms, is taking place across the world, and there is a swell of research and innovation that has been unleashed. Cannabiz Africa’s Research and Innovation section keeps you up to date with the latest developments in this sector. Minister of Madness: “Absurd” Ban Puts Paid to Govt Funded Project to Develop Hemp-based ‘Superfood’ for School Feeding Schemes Read More The DoH issued a research permit to Druids Garden to investigate nutrition in hemp. The project got traction and was funded by government entities and developed in collaboration with the CSIR and seven years later there’s an amazing hemp-based porridge perfect for school feeding schemes. What a great story…..except the self-same DoH has now banned it! Minister of Madness: “Absurd” Ban Puts Paid to Govt Funded Project to Develop Hemp-based ‘Superfood’ for School Feeding Schemes 24 March 2025 at 13:30:00 The DoH issued a research permit to Druids Garden to investigate nutrition in hemp. The project got traction and was funded by government entities and developed in collaboration with the CSIR and seven years later there’s an amazing hemp-based porridge perfect for school feeding schemes. What a great story…..except the self-same DoH has now banned it! Read More Cannabis Terpenes May Relieve Chronic Pain without THC’s Psychoactive Effects. 17 March 2025 at 12:30:00 Researchers in Arizona found that certain terpenes significantly reduced fibromyalgia and post-surgical pain in animal studies, with geraniol showing the most promise. Read More Cannabis-Infused Foods on the Rise Worldwide, Highlighting Need for International Guidelines 15 March 2025 at 10:00:00 There are undisputed therapeutic and nutritional benefits associated with cannabis-infused foodstuff and around the world consumer demand is rising for such products. However, there are no international guidelines protecting consumers and a framework needs to be put in place. Read More Shock Announcement! Health Minister Suddenly Bans Cannabis in All Foods and Beverages! 11 March 2025 at 08:45:00 In an astounding regulatory development, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, has issued a notice banning the use of cannabis in foodstuffs. The announcement in the Government Gazette of 7 March 2025, has left cannabis stakeholders stunned, as this flies in the face of the Presidency’s cannabis vision and undermines the National Cannabis Master Plan. Read More Cannabis is the Gateway Drug to the World’s New Plant-based Medicine Revolution 1 March 2025 at 08:30:00 Plant-based therapies are becoming all the rage as more scientists unlock nature’s secrets to find new healing and wellness benefits. Africa is well-poised to take advantage of the new global plant-based product revolution that is integrating cosmetics and healing. Read More CBD Shots Prove There’s Life Left in the Old Nag as Israel Develops New Pain Treatment Product for Animals 20 February 2025 at 12:30:00 Israeli company Innocann, has developed a single shot CBD injection treatment for osteoarthritis that could have wide application in the international veterinary world. The Liposomal CBD treatment was administered to Ariel the elderly donkey with positive results and there could be future application for humans. Read More Dr Gallow in Demand: SA’s ‘Medical Cannabis Ambassador’ Hits the World Stage After Concluding Ground-breaking SA Research 19 February 2025 at 12:30:00 Dr Shiksha Gallow recently wrapped up SA’s first Pharma-ethics and DOH approved clinical trials involving cannabis and has now become a highly sought after presenter in the international medical cannabis arena. She is presenting two papers in Brisbane this week at the CIU Australian Medical Cannabis Conference. This follows her whirlwind tour of USA, Costa Rica, Thailand and the Philippines in the past few months Read More Welcome to the World of ‘Cosmeceuticals’: CBD Cosmetics Can Blend Beauty and Healing 14 February 2025 at 07:15:00 CBD is set to play an increasing role in cosmetic and beauty products such as skin and hair care as research highlights the cannabis compound’s anti-aging and antioxidant effects. It’s also been found to accelerate the healing of wounds. Read More New Partnerships, New Paradigms: Eco Green Becomes SCIPP’s Satellite Lab To Research Indigenous Psychedelics 26 January 2025 at 08:30:00 Cape Town cannabis lab Eco Green Analytics has entered the traditional medicine research field by partnering with the Pretoria-based Southern Centre for Indigenous Psycho Pharma (SCIPP). It will offer its services to analyse medicines used by traditional healers and psylocibin mushrooms in a quest to unlock the therepeutic benefits of indigenous plants. Read More Scratching the Next Surface: Minor Cannabinoids Hold the Key to Major Therapeutic Benefits 4 December 2024 at 06:00:00 From CBN to CBG and THCA, there are more than 100 cannabinoids in the plant with different psychoactive and non-psychoactive components. Indeed, each cannabinoid counts different attributes, with research only beginning to scratch the surface of how we can leverage specific cannabinoids for specific therapies. Read More Zimbabwe's Ivory Medical Launches Therapeutic Product Range Integrating Cannabis and Traditional African Medicine 11 November 2024 at 06:00:00 Zimbabwe has been struggling to develop its medical cannabis value chain but this looks set to change as Ivory Medical brings an innovative product range to market. Its CannaQure range, launched last week, integrates traditional African medicines into cannabis-based therapeutic products. Read More Waxing Lyrical: Stellenbosch Academics Patent New Cannabis Extraction Process Using Plant Wax to Boost Productivity 31 October 2024 at 05:00:00 Extracting active compounds from cannabis for medicinal purposes is a fast-growing industry world-wide. The enormous impact this could have on the local cannabis industry has seized the imagination of a Stellenbosch University chemical engineering team who have developed and patented a unique extraction process involving the purification of plant wax to preserve active compounds Read More Breaking New Frontiers: Afriplex Unveils Process to Turn Cannabinoids into Non-Cannabis Catalysts For Industrial Applications 3 October 2024 at 10:00:00 Afriplex, a subsidiary of the investment group, Impilovest, has invested R150 million in upgrading its scientific technology capacity in the past four years and has entered a completely new space in the cannabis industry. It has invested in highly-specialized equipment that uses cannabinoids as building blocks to create new compounds and processes. These have nothing to do with traditional cannabis applications but have a wide range of industrial and other uses. Read More Cannabinoid Research: CBD & THC May Not Balance Each Other Out After All 9 September 2024 at 09:00:00 The two most studied compounds in cannabis may not balance each other out like it's commonly claimed. THC and CBD are often pitted against each other, but their effects on the human body may not be in a tug-of-war after all. A new study reveals CBD may not take the edge off THC, but in fact, taken at high doses may enhance the psychoactive effect. Read More Agriculture Department Commits R146 Million to Cannabis Research: Focus is on Industrial and Medical Use 6 September 2024 at 09:00:00 The Department of Agriculture has committed to funding the Agriculture Research Council with R146 million for cannabis research. This emerged from a Cabinet briefing on progress on the National Cannabis Master Plan in which it was agreed that stakeholder consultation would begin soon on a policy to commercialise cannabis. Read More Greenhouse Growing: Offset Challenges by Starting with the Right Genetics and Tight Control Over Airflow 5 September 2024 at 10:00:00 South Africa is well-suited to cannabis greenhouse growing, but that comes with its challenges in quality and consistency. Canadian consultant Rob Smallman says that to get the best results, the greenhouse cultivator has to start with the right genetics - and keep a close eye on humidity and airflow. Read More Sweetwaters Pioneers Aquaponics in Africa, Aims to Dominate Organic Cannabis Market 25 August 2024 at 08:00:00 Health conscious consumers are driving the growth of the organic cannabis market. Sweetwaters Aquaponics, an Eastern Cape grow op that’s majority-owned by Labat Africa, is actively pursuing this market segment, growing what may arguably be some of the purest commercial cannabis in South Africa. Read More NWU Academic: ‘Use Indigenous Knowledge Act to Protect and Promote Legacy Growers’ 11 August 2024 at 06:00:00 Legacy growers are in danger of losing their “intellectual property” as South Africa moves towards a new cannabis regulatory system. A North-West University academic is researching how their rights can be protected and their communities enhanced through using existing laws that protect and promote indigenous knowledge systems. Read More Are Women More Sensitive to THC Than Men? Science Says It Would Appear So 29 July 2024 at 08:00:00 The latest research suggests that women may need a lower dose of THC to get the same “high” as men, and that women develop resistance to the psychoactive effects of the plant more quickly than men do. Read More CSIR Says it Has Incubated 23 SMME’s for Local and International Cannabis Markets 24 July 2024 at 11:00:00 Official support for the fledgling SA cannabis industry is starting to shape up. The CSIR, with the support of other Government departments, has prepared 23 small businesses to take on the cannabis market Read More SA Citizen Scientists Discover Two new Species of Psychedelic Mushrooms 10 July 2024 at 06:00:00 South African citizen scientists and researchers scored a double whammy, discovering two new psychedelic mushrooms! One species might even hold clues to traditional healing practices Read More Cannabis Use Disorder: The Dark Side of Legalization Comes Under the Spotlight at Nelson Mandela University 27 June 2024 at 06:30:00 As cannabis legalization makes strides across the world, so the risks become more apparent. There are increasing reports of cannabis use disorder (CUD), particularly in Africa, where substance abuse is reaching crisis proportions in some countries. CUD is the focus of Nelson Mandela University student Musa Aminu’s new research programme. Read More New Study: Drugs are Affecting the Environment, Big Pharma Needs to Make ‘Greener’ Products 8 June 2024 at 08:00:00 A report published by Nature Sustainability shows that human drug usage is becoming a threat to wildlife. Among the findings are that addiction, anxiety and sex reversal have been reported in species by researchers as a range of substances contaminate ecosystems around the world. Read More Research Shows Some Rolling Papers Have High Levels of Heavy Metals 3 May 2024 at 06:00:00 A recent US study shows that many rolling papers and cones have elevated levels of potentially harmful compounds including heavy metals. Read More Groundbreaking Project in Amazon – Creating Carbon Offsets from Cannabis 24 April 2024 at 09:00:00 A cannabis farming cooperative in Ecuador’s northern Amazon will work with German specialists to optimize biochar production for carbon dioxide removal and soil regeneration. Read More SA’s “Magic Plant”, Kanna, Predicted to Trend This Year Along With 5 Other Entheogens 9 January 2024 at 12:00:00 ACS started off as a cannabis testing facility in the eastern USA in 2017. It’s journey has now opened the ‘Entheogen era’. Entheogen is a neologism to designate psychoactive substances employed in culturally sanctioned visionary experiences in ritual or religious contexts. Read More Chris Duvall: The Fascinating and Heartbreaking Neo-Colonial History of Cannabis in Africa 28 December 2023 at 06:00:00 Africans have valued cannabis for centuries and that in this history lie the seeds of future potential. Read More Scientists Prove Italians Were Already Stoned Way Back in the 17th Century 15 November 2023 at 09:00:00 Study reveals traces of cannabis in human bones dating back to the 1600’s in Milan. Read More Cannabinoids Discovered in Plants Other Than Cannabis! Opens a Whole New Medical Doorway 2 November 2023 at 08:00:00 Israeli scientists have discovered that a South African plant, the woolly umbrella, produces cannabinoids even though it is completely unrelated to the genus cannabis. Read More Grow One Africa: Traditional Healers Provide a Legal Market Entry Point for Cannabis Growers 27 October 2023 at 04:30:00 National advocacy group says small-scale growers should consider the cannabis distribution channels of traditional healers in the wake of SAPS reigning in arrests. Read More Taking it to the Next Scientific Level: Cape Sativa Launches New NanoCBD Water Product Range 22 September 2023 at 08:00:00 The plant gives in all its forms. Now we have a South African company patenting a nanotechnology platform to produce 100% ‘bioavailable cannabidiol water’, which they say makes CBD easier to absorb into the body. Read More Khoisan Women To Introduce Traditional Cannabis Construction Techniques into the Modern Sphere 4 September 2023 at 09:30:00 At the recent Women Indaba conference in the Northern Cape, a leading Khoisan activist told workshop on ‘women in the construction industry’ that it was her mission to re-introduce traditional building techniques involving cannabis. Read More From the Archives: SA Scientists Unearthed Evidence that Shakespeare May Have Been a Stoner 20 June 2023 at 08:30:00 One of South Africa's most interesting archaeological excavations was an analysis of smoking pipes found at William Shakespeare's Stratford on Aven home. Francis Thackery of the University of Pretoria claims there is strong evidence suggesting "The Bard" consumed cannabis. This report was first published in the Conversation in 2015, but it is worth dusting off in the context of South Africa's evolution in cannabis consciousness. Read More Voice of Reason from Mpondoland: Chief Zwelinkhanyile Diko Tells Parliament: Keep it Simple, Just Classify Local Landraces as Industrial Cannabis 30 May 2023 at 12:00:00 Chief Zwelinkhanyile Diko is the ancestral leader of the Magingqi Community who have been farming cannabis in the Port St Johns area of the Eastern Cape for over 150 years. He has established the Magingqi Community Trust to develop a legit cannabis economy in Mpondoland and leave a legacy for future generations. He knows what he’s talking about. This is his virtual submission to Parliament’s Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee on 23 May 2023 on the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill. Read More Unpacking Psychedelic Therapies: Basically They Enable the Brain to Make New Neural Connections and Break Past Patterns 19 May 2023 at 14:00:00 There’s been an explosion of interest in the potential healing power of psychedelics with more and more research coming onto the market. This is an excerpt from a paper by Edel Hyland of Queen’s University, Belfast, that sums up what psychedelic medicine is all about. Read More AI and Biotech: Developing New Drugs Faster 18 May 2023 at 09:00:00 The way drugs are developed is being rewritten as we speak. Discovering and approving new drugs is a lengthy process that requires years of development and a dismal success rate, but artificial intelligence (AI) could rev up the process in a major way. Read More US Perspective on AI and Cannabis: What Answers Lie in the Algorhythms? 5 May 2023 at 06:00:00 There’s been a lot of hope and hand-wringing over how artificial intelligence will reshape medicine, education and our understanding of reality itself. 420 Intel says it seems worth asking how it could affect one of the most popular drugs in America. Read More Afriplex launches AfriTaste Brand; Commercially Re-Imagining the Food and Beverage Sector From a Botanicals Perspective 4 May 2023 at 08:00:00 Afriplex CEO, Danie Nel, says the Paarl-based botanicals processing and extracting company has developed a range of “health-orientated, multisensorial ingredients” for food and beverage companies through its new AfriTaste portfolio. Read More SA Entrepreneurs at the Cutting Edge of International Psychedelic Therapies 3 May 2023 at 12:00:00 South African entrepreneurs have launched one of the world’s most cutting edge therepeutics group, Psyence, which is now gaining major traction in psychedelic medicine. The Toronto-listed firm, which has a psychedelics production license in Lesotho, is now launching clinical trials in Australia. Read More AI and Drugs: ChatGPT on the Ethics of Cannabis, How to Make Crack Cocaine and Advice on Joining a Cartel 9 February 2023 at 07:00:00 Vice Magazine’s International Drugs Editor Max Daly spents time with ChatGPT’s asking all the really difficult questions skirting legality and illegality, and finds in some instances, the chatbot is just as confused as humans are about drugs. Read More What’s the Buzz? Honey Bees Respond Positively to CBD As Importance of Antioxidents in All Life Systems Becomes Apparent 8 February 2023 at 12:30:00 Bees are a crucial pollination agent and are in danger the whole world over. A study by Polish researchers has shown honey bees respond positively to CBD, but the implications go further than the health of our pollinators. It suggests that cannabis could be beneficial to antioxident systems in other species too. Read More Gabon Sitting on an Ibogaine Goldmine as African Medicinal Plants Become the Way of the Future 28 January 2023 at 09:00:00 The world is waking up to the power of African medicine. Gabon’s sacred plant, Ibogaine, is increasingly in demand because of its powerful healing properties. Read More COUP , the Cannabis Organisation at the University of Pretoria (UP), is a multidisciplinary initiative driven by a set of UP academics, students and affiliated partners. COUP members have a shared vision in which we recognise the potential that cannabis holds for South Africa economically, socially and legally. For more, details contact COUPl cannabisorgup@gmail.com What Sets Us Apart Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. The public will be able to have its say on the long-awaited regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formalized by the Justice Department. This major shift in government’s approach to the private sector was almost thrown in an as an after-thought in Wednesday’s post-cabinet briefing, but, people, this is a bigger deal than it seems. 28 March 2025 at 09:00:00 Brett Hilton-Barber, Cannabiz Africa A major announcement slipped quietly under the radar after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting where the f ocus was on the Health Minister and the now-rescinded cannabis foodstuff ban: the Justice Ministry will consult stakeholders on the regulations governing the Cannabis Act before they are formally issued. This is a significant reset by Government, which up to now has adopted a “top down” approach to the regulatory environment. The Justice Department has been sitting on the prospective guidelines since the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act was signed off by President Ramaphosa in May 2024. Since then the law has been languishing in a legislative waiting-bay, pending the release of the regulations which will give clarity to issues such as home grow plant limits and enable some form of commercial framework to be put on the table. Until the regulations are gazetted, the Act remains in abeyance and the Drugs Act remains in force. Since September last year, the Justice Department has said the regulations will be issued ‘soon’. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said in a statement after the meeting on 26 March 2025: “The Department of Justice, together with various other government departments, is co-ordinating an interdepartmental draft regulation for the full implementation of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act. These regulations will be issued for public consultation”. The announcement means that three Government departments have now publicly committed to stakeholder engagement in the wake of the ferocious opposition to the cannabis in foodstuffs ban. Health, Justice and Trade will be framing a process in which the public will be able to have input on: · Regulations governing edibles and cannabis in foodstuffs; · How the hemp value chain should be developed; · The proposed regulations that will govern the Cannabis Act, and possibly those sections that have been deemed ‘unconstitutional’. The net effect of the stakeholder resistance t o the Health Minster’s unilateral ban is that President Ramaphosa has put public input at the centre of cannabis policy going forward. This just might make all the difference and mitigate the seven wasted years of empty Government promises and the millions of rand that entrepreneurs have lost as a result. President Ramaphosa seeks a Trudeau-like legacy as the man who saw the potential of cannabis to reshape the South African economy. He might just be back on track if he is sincere about policy co-creation with private stakeholders as per The Phakisa. # PREVIOUS NEXT What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service Big Shape-Shift Underway: Justice Dept Now to Get Public Input Before Deciding on Regulations Governing Cannabis Act

Cannabiz-Africa is your hub for all cannabis news and resources. Everything from breaking news, cannabis politics, business investments, legal policies and a marketplace network where we connect you with local businesses. Be in the know with the hottest, freshest and most up-to date hemp movements. LATEST CANNABIZ AFRICA NEWSLINE THE BUSINESS OF CANNABIS COMING IN FRESH EVERY WEEK NEWSLINE # 111 Top Story: Retail Hemp Comes of Age as Hemporium Opens Flagship Store in Cape Town NEWSLINE # 110 Top Story: Afriplex Takes Cannabis SciTech to a New Level Altogether NEWSLINE # 109 Top Story: Alarming Biomass Build Up NEWSLINE # 108 Top Story: Africa’s Leading Business School Seeks to Create Cannabis Entrepreneurs What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service

Cannabiz-Africa is your hub for all cannabis news and resources. Everything from breaking news, cannabis politics, business investments, legal policies and a marketplace network where we connect you with local businesses. Be in the know with the hottest, freshest and most up-to date hemp movements. WHY CANNABIZ AFRICA? Cannabiz Africa is Africa's leading B2B cannabis news platform. Let us expose your brand, products and service to the African cannabis marketplace. See our sponsorship and advertising details below. Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service Key Facts: Established in 2020 by veteran journalist Brett Hilton-Barber Published over 1 000 news reports since then Based in Tzaneen, Limpopo Province SA Readership includes key decision-makers across the value chain in the African cannabis industry; Over 4,000 unique users 1 500 subscribers to the weekly Newsline Fourfold increase in traffic over the past three months 80% of readers in SA with a nationwide footprint (130 cities, towns, villages) Most international readers are from the US, UK, Germany, Canada and the Netherlands Also regular site visitors from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, Jamaica, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Poland, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine Reaching African readers in Namibia, eSwatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Mauritius What Sets Us Apart ? Cannabiz Africa is the leading B2B news platform for the continent's cannabis industry, connecting you directly with key stakeholders. With over 4,000 unique monthly users and a growing audience of 1,500 engaged Newsline subscribers, we provide unmatched visibility for your brand. Advertise with us today to reach the heart of the industry! Click here, to advertise your brand, product and or service