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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!
Medigrow Investors Pause Funding for Eastern Cape Cannabis Project Because of Hemp Foodstuff Ban
Medigrow’s international investors have pressed the pause button on further investment in the company’s R1 billion Eastern Cape cannabis project because of the lack of clarity over South Africa’s hemp policy. The company has been caught up in the aftermath of the now-rescinded hemp foodstuff ban and has halted operations while ‘sensitive negotiations’ are underway to seek resolution.
Cannabis Expo Signs Up Synergy as Headline Sponsor, Gets Ready to Rock Sandton at the End of May
Africa’s grandest cannabis show comes to town next month in the form of the Cannabis Expo. The three day celebration of cannabis culture and essential business networking will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 30 May to 1 June 2025. Thousands of people are expected to attend the Expo which will also see a ‘summit’ of industry stakeholders take place to discuss how to push cannabis reform forward.
Medigrow Investors Pause Funding for Eastern Cape Cannabis Project Because of Hemp Foodstuff Ban
16 April 2025 at 10:30:00
Medigrow’s international investors have pressed the pause button on further investment in the company’s R1 billion Eastern Cape cannabis project because of the lack of clarity over South Africa’s hemp policy. The company has been caught up in the aftermath of the now-rescinded hemp foodstuff ban and has halted operations while ‘sensitive negotiations’ are underway to seek resolution.
Major International Cannabis Conference Coming to SA: Overcoming Barriers and Developing Standards
16 April 2025 at 10:30:00
A major international conference on ‘Barriers to Entry’ in the cannabis industry is to take place in South Africa next month. The ASTM conference will also look at refining international standards on cannabis food and beverages. Deadline for registration is next week.
CSIR tells President: All our Cannabis Foodstuff Products Have Always Been Legal
14 April 2025 at 09:45:00
The CSIR says it has incubated scores of small businesses to process and trade in cannabis-related foodstuffs and all have been within the guidelines laid down by SAHPRA and the Department of Agriculture. This emerged during the President’s tour of the CSIR’s cannabis research unit last week - which had its lighter moments!
Synergy’s Hodes: There’s No Regulatory Uncertainty Around Medical Cannabis and the Market is Growing
9 April 2025 at 20:00:00
Fast-growing Synergy Wellness is the headline sponsor for this year’s Cannabis Expo and will be using the event as a major drive to make people aware of the medical benefits of cannabis. Synergy director Jon Hodes (pictured here) believes health and wellness will be one of the most sustainable sectors of the new cannabis market and has structured the company’s business plan around this.
Main Networking Event of the Year: Cheeba Africa’s Industry Summit at Cannabis Expo
9 April 2025 at 18:30:00
Cheeba Africa has announced it will hold a two day ‘Cannabis and Hemp Summit’ at the Cannabis Expo to bring stakeholders together to network, upskill and develop their business concepts. It will also provide a forum for the industry to discuss how best to deal with Government in the imminent ‘stakeholder discussons’ on cannabis policy.
Cannabis Expo’s Howarth: ‘We’re Building the Highway Even if the Road Signs Aren’t Up Yet’
9 April 2025 at 13:30:00
This year’s Cannabis Expo comes at a crucial time for the cannabis industry as the ‘grey zone’ consumer market explodes and Government says its ‘really willing’ to engage stakeholders on policy. It’s also been a tough time for players wanting to be legitimate, but that could all be changing. Expo CEO Silas Howarth (pictured here) shares his thoughts on putting together Africa’s biggest cannabis event and where the market is at.
Cannabis Expo Signs Up Synergy as Headline Sponsor, Gets Ready to Rock Sandton at the End of May
9 April 2025 at 13:15:00
Africa’s grandest cannabis show comes to town next month in the form of the Cannabis Expo. The three day celebration of cannabis culture and essential business networking will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 30 May to 1 June 2025. Thousands of people are expected to attend the Expo which will also see a ‘summit’ of industry stakeholders take place to discuss how to push cannabis reform forward.
Medical Research Council: Standardize THC Dosage Limits and Labelling Guidelines
8 April 2025 at 13:30:00
The SAMRC has called for standardized dosage regulations for THC edible products and appropriate labelling guidelines. It says legalization of cannabis carries risks for youngsters and with edibles consumption on the rise, authorities need to be increasingly conscious of consumer safety.
Khopotse: Now Ban is Behind Us, Let’s Use Hemp Foods to Tackle Malnutrition
8 April 2025 at 09:45:00
The chairman of the recently formed cannabis and hemp lobby group, SACHIDA says now is the time to develop hemp-based superfoods to tackle malnutrition. Katelga Khopotse says Government’s new attitude opens up the industrial cannabis value and that hemp can help feed the people.
Druids Taps Into Ancient Wisdom: Launches Biotika, Plant Medicine Booster Range
7 April 2025 at 14:15:00
Druids Garden, the SAHPRA-licensed Gauteng facility has been at the forefront of much of the innovation in South Africa’s cannabis industry. The latest fruit from its garden is Biotika, a range of plant-based energy boosters and health supplements that it bought to market last month. Cannabis Africa publisher Brett Hilton-Barber got the lowdown on the worldwide return to ancient medicines with Druids’ CEO Cian McLelland, who also shared his thoughts on the sorry state of SA cannabis reform.
'If SA Gets Cannabis Framework Right, It Could Be a Blueprint for BRICS+'
7 April 2025 at 09:00:00
An unlikely newcomer to the cannabis industry commentariat has just weighed in with the unlikely notion that if South Africa gets its policy framework right, it could serve as a blueprint for the BRICS+ group of nations. Independent media owner Dr Iqbal Surve, says cannabis could be a way of fostering new trade relationships outside traditional cannabis markets.
Stakeholder Pressure: Foodstuff Ban Sorted, Now Scrap the Drugs Act!
7 April 2025 at 07:00:00
Cannabis reform cannot proceed while cannabis is still defined as an illicit substance. That’s the view of activist lawyer, Charl Botha, who has written to President Ramaphosa, saying that his proposed stakeholder engagement will be hollow as long as the Drugs Act is in force.
Stellenbosch Researchers Squeeze Value Out of Waste in New Cannabis Extraction Breakthrough
5 April 2025 at 13:30:00
Stellenbosch University chemical engineers have developed a unique wax-based method of extraction that recovers valuable compounds that would otherwise be wasted. They say their methodology could make African cannabis exporters far more competitive on the global stage.
Enua Riding Green Wave in Germany, Seeks SA Flower as Demand Surges
4 April 2025 at 10:00:00
Leading German cannabis company Enua is seeking South African cultivators to feed growing demand for medical cannabis in Europe. Enua’s managing partner , Albert Schwarzmeier was in the Cape recently cementing a supplier relationship with local partner Nexus. He’s told MJBiz how the German market has exceeded expectations.
Stakeholder Input Meaningless Until Govt Sorts Out the ‘Three Ministry Muddle’
2 April 2025 at 15:30:00
President Ramphosa’s bold move to shift stakeholder engagement to the centre of the cannabis policy debate has assuaged an industry injured by the flip-flop of the cannabis foodstuff. But unless Government sorts out its ‘three ministry muddle’ ahead of industry consultation, any good advice it receives will remain out in the vortex
Last Mover Advantage: Botswana Better Placed Than SA to Become Regional Hemp Powerhouse
2 April 2025 at 14:30:00
Botswana looks set to bypass the regulatory nightmare that has beset South Africa's industrial cannabis industry by putting in a set of rules for the game before it opens up the market. Neighbouring South Africa, by comparison, has found itself in a quandary where permits are being issued with no clear market guidelines yet in place.
Is Labat Starting to Exit the Cannabis Space?
31 March 2025 at 10:00:00
Labat Africa is moving rapidly into the IT space with a distribution deal with Ubits Technology, while it reviews the risks associated with its cannabis operations. The JSE listed group was one of the first movers in the South African cannabis space but now it appears to be on an exit strategy from the sector.
Govt Must Learn its Cannabis Lesson When it Comes to Regulating Tobacco Products
31 March 2025 at 11:30:00
Government has committed itself to stakeholder engagement over future cannabis policy but this approach should not apply to this sector alone. The new Tobacco bill is due to reach Parliament soon, but in its current form it’s unlikely to pass constitutional muster. In order to avoid the same fate as the Cannabis Act, which is stuck in a legislative vacuum, Sifiso Skenjana, (pictured here) says authorities should listen to industry objections before trying to pass new laws affecting them.
Presribed Maximums Likely to Be Most Contentious Point in Cannabis Act Regulations
30 March 2025 at 16:30:00
The Justice Department is to circulate its proposed regulations for the Cannabis Act for stakeholder comment before they are gazetted. The most contentious regulations are likely to be the number of plants one may privately cultivated says leading cannabis lawyer Paul-Michael Keichel (pictured here)
SANDF: Cross Border Cannabis Trafficking Almost a ‘Daily Occurrence’
30 March 2025 at 10:30:00
The SANDF has been deployed for the last six months along the South Africa’s northern and eastern borders to combat transnational smuggling. Defence Web reports that this month’s seizure of R1,5 m worth of cannabis on the border between KwaZulu Natal and eSwatini highlights how porous the country’s frontiers are to drug smugglers.
Minister’s Unbanning of Illegal Edibles Creates Wrong Impression That They’re Now Legal
30 March 2025 at 09:45:00
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s clumsy attempt to protect consumers by banning cannabis-related foodstuffs continues to create market confusion even though the ban has been rescinded. There is a widespread perception among cannabis consumers that with the lifting of the ban, edibles are legal. They’re not, warns FGFA’s Myrtle Clarke (pictured here).
Health Minister ‘Not Disappointed’ That His Ban Was Lifted, Says President Understands His Safety Concerns
29 March 2025 at 10:00:00
The Health Minister was one of thousands of stakeholders who was ‘not disappointed’ by the lifting of his ban on cannabis-related foodstuffs. Dr Motsoaledi made this bizarre remark in an interview with News24, in which he emphasized that there was still an urgent need for regulation of such products in order to protect consumers.
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.
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.
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.
Silverleaf’s Weisz: 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 Weisz (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.
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?
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.
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.”
‘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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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'.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
‘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.
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.
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.
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
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
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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