By Maile Matsimela
“The hemp crisis isn’t just about a plant, but about people, livelihoods and South Africa’s future.”
This was the common understanding yesterday, when over 900 people joined the South African Hemp Crisis webinar hosted to address the seismic shockwaves caused by the Department of Health’s recent ban on hemp products in South Africa.
The webinar brought together a passionate mix of industry stakeholders, advocates and everyday citizens, all unified by a shared frustration and hope for the future of hemp.
Hemp’s potential as a sustainable agricultural resource has been stifled by regulatory and economic hurdles for nearly two decades – since concerns were first raised in a letter to then president, Thabo Mbeki, on 11 March 2005.
The recent ban has reignited these tensions, threatening economic opportunities, innovation and sustainable hemp economy.
The webinar aimed to tackle these issues head-on, focusing on regulatory challenges, economic and environmental benefits, global lessons and steps to position South Africa as a hemp leader.
Participants such as Rozayne Malyo labelled the ban as “not just about regulation but about control”, suspecting a conspiracy between policymakers and big corporations to edge out small businesses and farmers.
Paul-Michael Keichel called it a “blatant misstep” by the Department of Health, while Stephanie Chetty questioned the government’s reasoning, suggesting a lack of industry understanding.
Economic and personal devastation
The ban’s human cost was palpable. Heidene Lawrence shared a gut-wrenching story. As an epileptic black, disabled woman, cannabis tea reduced her seizures from 20 a day to 10 a month, enabling her to start a business and create jobs, which is now at risk of closure.
Dayalan Puckree warned about up to 30 000 potential job losses tied to 6 000 cannabis stores and 15 000 cultivation permits, calling it “just the tip of the iceberg”.
Suspicion of Big Pharma’s shadow
A recurring theme was the distrust of “Big Pharma”. Comments from Heidene, Noxolo Mhlongo, and Dr Shela Mogaila speculated that pharmaceutical giants are influencing the ban to monopolise the market, a sentiment echoed by Kagiso Munaka’s repeated quip, “Big Pharma can go jump in the lake.”
Missed opportunities and global lag
The chat mourned hemp’s untapped potential – dubbed “green gold” by Pabalelo Mere and a “future gold mine” by Lucky Sindane – for jobs, sustainability and food security. Josh Schneider pointed to the US, where hemp seeds are legal in food products, asking why South Africa can’t follow suit.
Boitumelo Mosoeu noted that investor interest is stifled not by resources but by restrictive laws.
Hypocrisy and inconsistency
Participants like Cassandra Ducasse and Thami Madliwa (with strong support) highlighted the hypocrisy of banning hemp while alcohol and tobacco remain legal. Tony Morais added, “To peddle liquor and break society you just need a little liquor license. For cannabis that heals, we have to jump through hoops.”
Call for action and accountability
The community demanded change. Albertus van Jaarsveldt and Brandon Nkabinde pushed for a class-action lawsuit, while Katlego Lebethe insisted that cannabis policymakers be “certified researchers and advisors”; not “destructive chancers”.
Thami’s fiery advocacy earned praise, like “More fire, sistah!” from Ras Warren Yellowman.
What people are worried about
Dayalan Puckree said the comments painted a picture of deep concern that the ban will crush small businesses and erase jobs, with millions of South Africans left to suffer.
Another commentator, Rozayne Malyo, was worried that big corporations, possibly backed by Big Pharma, will seize control, leaving local growers and entrepreneurs sidelined.
There’s also anxiety over losing access to hemp’s health benefits, as exemplified by Heidene’s story.
Furthermore, there’s frustration that decision-makers in government lack knowledge or consultation, with Josh noting, “The average person on the street knows more about this crop than the government.”
Lastly, participants felt disappointment that South Africa is falling behind globally, described as “five steps backwards” by Rory Blake Taylor.
Looking ahead
The seminar concluded with attendees saying there’s a need to ramp up public and policymaker education to counter ignorance, as Michael Laws and Heidene suggested.
They may also pursue legal action to challenge the ban’s constitutionality, as advocated by Ben Adams and Albertus.
They also suggested implementation of phased regulations that protect businesses, drawing from global models like the US. Another resolution was to support each other and resilient leaders, like Thami, and legacy growers, like Brandon, to keep the industry alive.
Also read:
Minister Motsoaledi to lift ban on cannabis treats
Regulate, don’t annihilate: Why South Africa’s cannabis industry needs smart policies, not panic ban
Cannabis ban: Farmers want urgent meeting with health minister
