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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!
FGFA’s Myrtle Clarke; 100 Years Of Prohibition Kept Alive by Government Ignorance
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
‘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
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.
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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%.
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’.
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’.
Labat To Acquire IT Company for R16,75 million in a Paper Deal That Will Underwrite Group Liabilities
23 November 2024 at 08:00:00
JSE-listed Labat Africa is to acquire a 75,55% stake in IT company Classic International Trading in a paper deal worth R16,75 million. The purchase is contingent on Labat producing its outstanding financials, and if the JSE lifts the suspension of its shares, Classic will underwrite the group's liabilities going forward.
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.
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.
THC Settles Appeal Bid Out of Court, Status of Private Clubs Remains Uncertain
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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.
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’.
Tackling the Biomass Build Up: Nexus Launches Major Project to Process and Export SA Cannabis
31 October 2024 at 12:00:00
Despite billions of rands in investment, South Africa’s medical cannabis industry continues to face an uphill battle, not least of which are a surplus of unsold inventory and a lack of return. New cannabis player Nexus Pharma has built its business model around tackling these challenges to market South African medical cannabis internationally.
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
Small Business Dept to Fund R6 million Drakensberg Cannabis Processing Facility in KZN
27 October 2024 at 08:30:00
The oKhahlamba (Bergville) local municipality in the far KwaZulu Natal Midlands has harvested its second low-THC cannabis crop and has secured central government funding for a cannabis processing facility in the area.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
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.
Farewell Tito: Former Finance Minister Was a Cannabis Friend To The End
15 October 2024 at 04:00:00
South Africa’s former Finance Minister and Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni passed away on Saturday, 11 October 2024. Although he will best be remembered for his fiscal discipline and political integrity (and his atrocious kitchen antics), he will also be remembered as a long-time proponent of cannabis legalization.
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.
Retail Hemp Comes of Age as Hemporium Opens Flagship Store in Cape Town
10 October 2024 at 06:00:00
Hemporium has struggled against the odds to establish itself as the leading hemp retail chain in the country. The Cape-based company recently opened its flagship store in the Cape Town’s Hemp Hotel, offering the largest range of hemp products in Africa. Marketing Manager Shale Tinkler (pictured above) spoke to Cannabiz Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber about the trials and tribulations of pioneering hemp retail and what advice he has for entrepreneurs looking to enter this sector.
DA Leader Now in Charge of Cannabis Master Plan, Promises Relief For Legacy Growers And Says Justice Dept and Trade & Industry Will Oversee Legislative Alignment
9 October 2024 at 09:00:00
New Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says “implementing the Cannabis Master Plan is a critical priority” but it is “being hindered by the lack of legislative alignment which needs urgent attention”. He says the Agriculture Dept is bears overall responsibility for the Plan, the DTIC will “oversee” it,
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hemp Seed is a 'Super-Food', Would be Great for School Feeding Schemes But Regulators Are the Problem
2 October 2024 at 11:00:00
A recent Cheeba Africa webinar on 'Hemp as Food', revealed the huge potential for industrial cannabis to be used as a healthy foodstuff. Although hemp is ideal for boosting young brains, the stigma surrounding cannabis is blocking health authorities from allowing hemp-based food products to be used in school feeding schemes.
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
KZN Agriculture Says It Will Help Hemp Farmers with Permits, Support and Marketing
26 September 2024 at 06:00:00
KwaZulu Natal is at the forefront of provincial cannabis reform and says it will support hemp farmers with permit applications, provision of seeds and will endeavour to find markets for their crops.
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.
‘Without Market Offtake Agreements, Cannabis Farmers are Just Growing Grass’
25 September 2024 at 08:00:00
Government’s cannabis strategy has been lopsided to date with too much focus on cultivation and not enough attention on pairing farmers with markets. This is the view of legal expert Shaad Vayej who says he’s concerned about the lack of processing capacity for this year’s industrial cannabis (hemp) season.
He says until offtake agreements are put in place for the 1 100 farmers with hemp permits, they faced an alarming build-up of biomass with no market.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"The Potential for Settlement is Being Explored": New Cannabis Act May Affect State’s Case Against Haze Club
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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.
South African Law Firms Well Poised to Ride the Wave of African Cannabis Legalization
13 September 2024 at 14:00:00
The South African legal sector has significant experience in dealing with cannabis legislation and is well-positioned to benefit from the regulatory reform that is taking place in the rest of the continent.
New Cannabis Act Still on the Shelf, Justice Dept Hasn't Decided Yet on Home Grow Plant Limits
12 September 2024 at 10:00:00
Three months after the President signed off on the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act it is yet to be enacted into law. One of the delays is understood to be the Justice Minister’s awaited clarification on regulations, such as how many plants you may grow at home. Until such time as the Cannabis Act is signed off (again) by the President, the Drugs Act remains in force.
Private Sector Cannabis Stakeholders Lack Representative Body, This Could Cost Them Dearly When Commercialization Talks Begin
11 September 2024 at 14:00:00
Private sector cannabis stakeholders are in disarray with no umbrella body representing their interests as government drives reform forward. With the Presidency announcing that consultations will begin soon on how to commercialize cannabis, non-government stakeholders should urgently get their act together to collectively lobby for market-friendly policies.
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