EC to create multi-billion Cannabis business
By Thozi kaManyisana
The Eastern Cape provincial government is committed in developing a multi-billion industrialised cannabis value chain in a province that was referred to as the “dagga capital of South Africa.”
This was revealed by the MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) Nomakhosazana Meth during the Provincial Top Management Stakeholder Engagement for the 2020 Cannabis Bill for Private Purposes held at the East London ICC.
“We intend to develop a multi-billion-rand industrialised cannabis value chain that enables the empowerment of small-scale farmers and the development of agro-processing co-operative hubs.
She said the hubs will focus in value chains that include seed, medicine, Bio-fuel and plastic, building, textile and paper, adding that the province has had a number of people exceeding any other province using this plant for their economic survival.
“Cannabis offers an opportunity unprecedented in South Africa’s history since the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886 as South Africa’s much maligned and excluded green gold, with massive potential to birth a new sunrise industry to lift us out of economic recession, poverty and unemployment.
“The potential for cannabis in our province and the country is enormous. Our province has drought-resistant acclimatised genetic strains that have naturalised over hundreds of years, combined with tens of thousands of existing farmers who are familiar with the crop and how to grow it,” she said.
She said the first cannabis engagement held in August last year, “agreed to boldly pace into this green future and design systems that allow us to live within our economic and ecological limits.”
Meth briefed the stakeholders about the work done by DRDAR “in building a foundation for the development of this lucrative industry” including tasking the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) to develop a framework, strategy and business case for cannabis in the Province.
ECRDA was allocated R4,5 million to support farmers with permits to acquire seed and fencing and to establish a Cannabis Technical Advisory Team to provide the scientific knowledge, commercial expertise, capacity building, training and investment mobilization required to unlock this sunrise industry for the Eastern Cape.
Furthermore, the department is coordinatines by establishing technical production teams, awareness campaigns, business and implementation plans, infrastructure requirements and application for Cannabis sativa production license for growers.
She said Cannabis education and training is critical and a proposal was made to the Executive Council (EXCO) for the formation of a Cannabis research, training and development programme to be hosted in the old Lusikisiki Teachers’ College.
“We are developing a 5-year cannabis research, training and development plan for the establishment of this entity . This will provide critical support to this emerging industry,” said Meth
She said the province’s inputs on the Bill, which aims to regulate the cultivation, possession and use of cannabis and cannabis plants by adults for personal use as well as protect adults and children against the harm of cannabis was due on November 30.
The gathering was graced by Social Development MEC Siphokazi Lusithi and Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs Xolile Nqata, DRDAR Portfolio Committee Chairperson Dr Fundisile Bese as well as Executive Mayors, Councillors, Cannabis lobby groups ,leadership of government departments and legal experts.
The event saw stakeholders engaging on the contents of the Bill including perceived socio and legal shortfalls, potential impact on farmers and traditional healers, economic potential in the province, public health and actions to development Cannabis framework.
MEC Mani- Lusithi, during the question and answer session, called for “social lobbying” that will reach out to all stakeholders including medical doctors, religious and traditional leaders and social workers “so that we can talk about facts more than perceptions and demistfy Cannabis.”
“We need to check the impact of social and welfare and reposition the plant in the society as it is normally linked with chemical drugs like mandrax,” she said.
Well-known Cannabis legalisation activist Prince Garreth, emphasised that the Bill must be discussed by both the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and National Parliament.
This will ensure that inputs from provinces can be considered hence it is imperative that the province makes a submission for the Bill involve the input of the provinces,” he said.
As it stands the Bill will not be sent to the NCOP ,the provinces’ inputs will be sent to the National Assembly before it is sent to the President to be made law
Speaking about the impact of the Bill in the life of the indigenous farmers in the Pondoland, Philasande Mhlakata of the Pondoland Cannabis Corp said she was “excited” about the legislation that will “allow us to live with what we have been supported with.
“People in the Pondoland were raised and taken to schools using dagga-raised money and seeing this initiative by government, we are surely going to develop more.
“This is a great opportunity that will allow people to take control of their lives by making a living for themselves by being allowed to lawfully sell Cannabis. We do not want to be dependent on grants but we want to make our money and sustain our families,” she said.
A traditional healer, Greekson Zweni said they were using the Cannabis for medicinal, spiritual healing and animal feed, especially for poultry.
“We are using it as a booster and energizer for healers and it is known for treatment of Epilepsy, Asthma, Insomnia and Pain Management and others hence we need it in large quantities.
“Traditional healers are not all growers of Cannabis hence limiting supply as the Bill is proposing will result in delayed healing,” Zweni said.
Traditional leader Prince Leslie Sigcau “Cannabis cultivation and consumption forms both history and culture for famers under Traditional Authorities in the rural Eastern Cape.
“In its present form, the Private Use Bill is restrictive to traditional cannabis farming practices, thus affecting livelihoods of communities under traditional authority.”
He said the traditional leadership has undertaken to unpack the present Cannabis Bill for Private Use, listen to farmers, traditional healers and traditional leadership as well as gather and interpret their views and wishes of community to “make a meaningful contribution that can be used by government” in the finalization of the Bill.
Nicholas Heinamann from the Director Afristar Cannabis Lobby Group, who is part of the technical advisory team, said the Cannabis had multi-economic benefits from the flower where one gets medical and recreational benefits.
He said the seed was capable of creating bio-fuel, plastic and can be used for personal care in the form of food while the flower is used for medicinal products and recreational use, the stalk can make clothing, paper, building material and bedding.
Heinamann said on average a farmer can get R175 00 per hector while the plant had socio economic potential that included but not limited to affordable health care, immune boosting food and petroleum replacement.
He said the value chain of Cannabis, which start from cultivation, harvesting, processing, creation of smokable flower and flower processing, refining, manufacturing of health and beauty products, distribution and retail was “so lucrative” and can create jobs.
He added that Cannabis will establish a “new pathway for rural development” and develop agro-processing cooperatives hubs and enable empowerment of small-scale farmers, adding that local markets should be developed.
“We need rapid industrialization of Cannabis,” Heinamann said.
Mr Zweni gave a detailed explanation on the use of Cannabis for traditional healing .
Speaking about the Cannabis for the public health in the province, Dr Shiksha Gallow said there was “need to remove the stigma associated with Cannabis,” adding that her presentation was based on medical research.
“It is a healing plant not a drug. It cannot be compared to alcohol as some speakers did before me. The addiction cannot be equated to cocaine, heroin or alcohol ,” she said.
Gallow further advised that should Cannabis be utilized patients will have “access to affordable healthcare in rural and remote areas.”
Speaking for the Rastafari community, Mzamo Dayimane said they “give thanks” to the consultation concerning the Bill that will allow use of Cannabis but they are opposing the Bill as it “overly regulating the use of our sacred plant.”
“We totally oppose the Bill as it is infringing the right to use our sacrament plant because for us it is a spiritual tree and that is not addressed in that level in this Bill.
“If this Bill is over regulated it takes away the right of indigenous people. As the Eastern Cape government and the people we have to come together and chart the way on how we make our voice heard because Cannabis is mostly used here,” said Dayimane.
DDG for Agriculture Development Leon Coetzee said he was “very encouraged by the passion shown by the stakeholders here and I learnt a lot.
“There is no doubt in my mind that there can be anyone here who can doubt the potential of this industry, it is there.
“We need to put our ducks in the row aand we do not need to under estimate that knowledge and existing systems,” he said.
Coetzee said DRDAR will make submission to the Department of Justice that will cover what is raised in the engagements but he said “individual organisations” can also make their own submissions,
Making vote of thanks, MEC Nqata said he “expressed gratitude” on behalf of the provincial government to MEC Meth for leading a gathering that came with “clear and incisive” means on what should be done to collectively develop the Cannabis industry.
“You are putting together a plan that will ensure our people benefit. We should use Cannabis as the gold to change the economic picture of this province. I am happy traditional leaders are part of this gathering so that they can understand land should be used to benefit the communities not to be sold to the highest bidders,” he said.