Pretoria - The government has been challenged to stop dragging its feet and up the pace on the legalisation of cannabis, to unlock the industry and change lives.
The call was made by hundreds of people from across all demographics, who gathered at the Union Buildings on Saturday, led by Cannabis Mass Action. Gatherings were also taking place in Cape Town outside Parliament and municipalities across the country.
The gathering in the capital city attracted supporters from various professions and traditions, as well as individuals who share the belief that cannabis was a herb that assists many with varying health conditions and could not be compared to legal substances like alcohol, which is often mentioned in road accidents, violence, as well as gender-based abuse.
The crowd called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government to realise that each day they delayed the legalisation of cannabis, many good people were being harassed by police while some people who needed it for medicinal purposes could not do so because they would lose their jobs if random drug tests came out positive.
Activist Myrtle Clarke said they sought to express their dissatisfaction with the approach, structure and pace of cannabis law reform and legal regulation in South Africa. “Cannabis legalisation and legal regulation is necessary to unlock the industry, but at the moment it is disjointed, unfocused, and taking too long.
“There are still no solutions proposed or implemented for rural legacy farmers. The president’s stated intention for an inclusive cannabis industry is not supported by the actions of the government.
“We urgently need this industry to come online for job creation and to bolster our economy.
“The Masterplan process developed without public consultation, did serve to create some structure, but has stalled. We are saying stop arresting people for low or no-harm, victimless, crimes.”
The organisation argued that South Africa already had a global reputation for cannabis, with the potential to become a lead player in the international market place.
“There are still no solutions for rural legacy cannabis farmers who still remain criminals in the eyes of the law, while those with capital are purportedly allowed to grow cannabis legally under licence.
“We are all acutely aware of the current economic challenges in South Africa; the cannabis industry is an opportunity to provide much-needed income and opportunity to South African society, placing a high value crop in the hands of the rural poor to regenerate and re-industrialise our rural economy,” Clarke added.
Spokesperson for the Traditional Healers Organisation for Africa, Zanele Mazibuko, said dagga was a herb that was not nearly as bad as many legal drugs that the government was okay with that the pharmaceutical industry eas giving to people – although they did more damage to human bodies.
She said the Health Department and SA Health Products Regulatory Authority can make decisions about medication regulations without even bothering to engage them because they do not take traditional healers seriously.
There was no immediate response from the Office of the Presidency on the calls of the protesters.
Pretoria News