Cannabiz Africa
The Western Cape High Court has denied a state request to remove the urgency status from Gareth Prince’s application calling for a halt to cannabis arrests and other changes to the law. Instead it’s given the State a deadline to respond and the matter will be heard again on Monday, 8 June 2026.
2026/04/15 20:50
Ras Hein Scheepers
State lawyers told the Western Cape High Court on 14 April 2026 that they were not ready to respond to an urgent application by Rastafari lawyer Gareth Prince for a halt to cannabis arrests and a raft of other legal issues.
Lawyers representing the Ministers of Police, DTIC and Agriculture requested that the matter be removed from the urgent roll and placed on the ordinary roll. They said they needed more time to respond to the legal challenge by Prince, which was launched in his personal capacity, as well as with the Rastafari Nation Council and a group of small-scale farmers.
The case forms part of a broader constitutional challenge to the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act 7 of 2024 and the Hemp Regulations.
However, Judge Mnengwana, denied the request to drop the urgency, and instead issued a time-table for the state to respond and said the matter would be heard in court again on 8 June 2026.
Acting Judge Mnengwana. Instead, the court issued a timetable. The respondents have 20 days to file their affidavits and a further 15 days to submit heads of argument.
The matter will come before the Western Cape High Court again on 8 June 2026
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