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The koalas speak with Tia about the new organisation, the TRCA (Township and Rural Cannabis Association), she is setting up with Linda Siboto (Cheeba) to take cannabis to the regions of South Africa
Cannabiz Africa have the background story
Cannabist ‘activist-entrepreneurs’ Tia Ramfate and Linda Siboto are behind the formation of a new grassroots cannabis organization, the TRCA. Their idea is to translate indigenous knowledge skills into entrepreneurship opportunities for rural and township cannabis businesses.
John Makoni, Africa Editor
Former Soweto Cannabis Association chair and AfuRaka Institute founder Tia Ramfate and new U Grow business development director and Cheeba Africa co-founder, Linda Siboto, have set up the Township and Rural Cannabis Association (TRCA) with the aim of integrating indigenous knowledge skills into grassroots cannabis economies.
Along with Carl Thobane, the two are directors of the TRCA which seeks to develop leadership skills in legacy cannabis communities, beyond just their inclusion and representation.
TRCA’s formation coincides with the upcoming National Cannabis Dialogue to be held in Kempton Park, Gauteng on 27 August 2026 . Ramfate says the TRCA is putting together an action plan so that “before we go into another national dialogue we should actually follow through with whatever proposals and consensus were reached at the previous one”.
Amid concerns that various organisations, dialogues and indabas have delivered precious little to advance stakeholders’ interests since the landmark 2018 legal cannabis victory that ushered regulation, TRCA’s styles itself as a departure from the status quo.
“What we would like to see is an actual adoption of plans and challenges facing entrepreneurs within the cannabis sector,” says Ramfate, who aspires to take on a more prominent role in the national cannabis space, bigger than focussing on Soweto.
She is critical of the “all talk and minimal action from the side of the government”. “The policing of people within the cannabis sector is a problem that should take top priority. I’m struggling to see what will be discussed that has not already been discussed,” she states.
To live up to its billing, TRCA has set three immediate action steps:
· Putting itself on the map: the TRCA Its website is set to go live in the next week;
· A planned stakeholder engagement in September to align cannabis community concerns and initiatives;
· This will be followed by a leadership imbizo on webinar towards the end of September and thereafter a formal launch.
Ramfate says there’s no cost to join the organization and members will be included in a data base, enjoy training and networking opportunities to further their cannabis skills. In time it seeks to pull in corporate partners and will introduce a tiered structure with honoury membership for international partners.
The ultimate aim of the organization is to open up market access for legacy farmers and township entrepreneurs and to assist them in registering businesses and marketing their skills. A partnership with the CTAA [Cannabis Trade Association of Africa] is also under discussion.
Ramfate strongly believes that the history and role of legacy communities in shaping the local cannabis industry should be acknowledged as intrinsic to a sustainable cannabis economy.
She says the TRCA charter prioritises building ethical leadership, strengthening African institutions, supporting community cooperatives, promoting responsible cannabis education, encouraging scientific and indigenous knowledge dialogue, creating opportunities for youth and supporting women leadership, among others.
Read the full report
https://www.cannabiz-africa.com/blog/6a738b3006128bc82ec5d8c8
