SAPS Raid Four KZN Cannabis Shops in Renewed ‘Grey Zone’ Clampdown
KZN police have raided four cannabis outlets in the greater Durban area, seized R1,3 m of stock and arrested five people for dealing in drugs in what appears to be a new crackdown on the province’s ‘Grey Zone’ .
Morocco Has Put Landrace at the Centre of its Cannabis Development Strategy, Everything Else Follows
Morocco hasn’t distinguished between medical cannabis and industrial hemp in developing its cannabis industry. French academic Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy says that by putting the indigenous kif landrace at the centre of monetizing the plant, Morocco is being focused, yet flexible by keeping its end-use options open.
Global Cannabis Market: SA Barely a Blip on the Radar as World Production Declines
South Africa’s struggle to crack the export cannabis market is reflected in the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2026 report which pegs this country as one of the lowest contributors to global imports, accounting for, along with four other countries, less than 2% of the market.
Hemp Sector: 10 Reasons to Cheer as the DoA Turns into the ‘Dept of Action’
With the DTIC now cracking the whip on the National Cannabis Master Plan and cannabis being formally recognized as an agricultural crop, the Agriculture Department has sprung into action with 10 significant achievements that have given the hemp sector forward momentum,
Soweto Cannabis Association Launched to Unite Cannabis Community and Halt Police Over-Reach
Soweto has long been a hotbed of activism in South Africa’s turbulent political history, and now the struggle is resurfacing in the shape of mobilization around cannabis. Recently-formed Soweto Cannabis Association chair Tia Ramfate (pictured here) says the community must now stand together against over-regulation and bad policing.
Parliament and Cannabis: Back to the Drawing Board, But This Time There’s Clarity, Collaboration and Commitment
The Parliamentary committee responsible for coming up with legislation allowing the commercial trade in cannabis says it will engage private sector stakeholders and researchers to come up with an evidence-based ‘omnibus bill’, which it has committed to being ready by mid-2027.
Agribiz Chief Economist: ‘Get Real: Cannabis Unlikely to be a Game-Changer for the SA Economy’
South Africa’s new presidential envoy on land and agriculture, Agribiz chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo has cautioned against over-enthusiasm that medical cannabis and hemp can be significant economic drivers. He says we should temper our enthusiasm in this regard, , particularly given the slow pace of reform and lack of regulatory clarity.
Hip and Happening! DoA Planning to Issue Permits to Grow Non-Medical, High-THC Cannabis
The Agriculture Department is to expand the current hemp permitting system to allow for high THC cultivation. This potential game-changer for was quietly revealed in Parliament recently in a DoA. presentation which outlined firm plans to encourage the expansion of cannabis cultivation way beyond hemp.
Worby’s Plea to MP’s: ‘Legit Businesses Are in Freefall, Can We Please Urgently Legalize the Local Supply Chain!’
SAHPRA cultivator Jonno Worby provided MP’s with a reality check during his Parliamentary presentation. Although it centred on a retail-centred compliance model, he pulled no punches in telling MP’s that legitimate cannabis businesses were in free-fall because of the regulatory vacuum.
Major Durban Hemp Conference Aims to Unlock Commercial Hemp Fibre Opportunities
Senior KZN government officials and national policy-makers will engage with stakeholders at a high level conference and expo on commercialising hemp, which will be held at the Elangeni Sun in Durban at the on 19 and 20 March 2026. The event has been put together by Ledile Textiles.