Zuko Komisa

Since hemp was declared an agricultural product, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s adoption of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill in May 2024 1,110 permits for its cultivation have been awarded.
Acting Minister in The Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, briefed the media on Thursday following Cabinet’s regular meeting on Wednesday, saying Cabinet received an update on the progress of the Cannabis Master Plan, which aims to provide a framework for the establishment, growth, and development of the cannabis and hemp industries in South Africa, contributing to economic growth, poverty alleviation, and job creation.
According to Ramokgopa, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has initiated the process of drafting the regulations in support of Cannabis for Private Purposes.
“In May 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development approved the Hemp Certification Scheme to regulate the varietal integrity and quality of hemp propagation material towards supporting the sustainable seed system of hemp. The DALRRD has commissioned research to the value of R124 million with the ARC, which focuses on Cannabis breeding for medicinal, fibre and other uses; Cannabis plant disease surveillance, indigenous germplasm collection and Cannabis seed system development.
“In Gauteng, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 10 small, medium and micro enterprises were supported for product development. The DALRRD continues to consult provinces on commitments thus far.
“To improve the capacity of the department to monitor the cultivation of hemp by permit holders, the ARC developed a detailed training programme for inspection services,”
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