https://afrileaf.org/massive-green-gold-problem-for-south-africa/AfriLeaf write
The Department of Agriculture says that implementing the Cannabis Master Plan is a critical priority during the seventh administration’s term. However, it is being hindered by the lack of legislative alignment around cannabis in South Africa, which needs urgent attention.
This was outlined by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, speaking to BusinessTech this week.
Over recent years South Africa has seen significant legislative changes regarding cannabis, allowing private, small-scale recreational use for adults. Despite this, commercial use is still limited to strictly regulated medicinal and industrial applications.
Medicinal marijuana was legalised in South Africa in 2017, with cultivation limited to licensed manufacturers due to THC’s psychoactive effects.
In 2018, the Constitutional Court decriminalized private cannabis use, followed by a call from the Cabinet for a national commercialisation strategy in 2019 to boost the economy and create jobs.
The government’s 2021 National Cannabis Master Plan highlighted the potential for the creation of over 130,000 jobs for a country plagued by high unemployment.
The industry is a veritable goldmine for South Africa, worth an estimated R28 billion, currently operating mostly in the black market.
In May 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, establishing a legal framework for private use and cultivation.
“Is [the passing of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act] good news for the agricultural industry? Not quite yet,” said legal experts at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Belinda Scriba, Clauida Grobler and Luke Kleinsmidt.
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