Private cannabis club services provider Grow One Africa (GOA) is undergoing ‘significant organizational changes’ with co-founder Kobus Schoeman (pictured above) leaving to focus on the hemp sector while GM Vanessa de Sousa takes over as CEO to streamline the business and take it forward.

GOA announced in a media release on 2 May 2025 that Schoeman had stepped down on 30 April 202 after half a decade of hard work at the helm.

“Grow One Africa is Kobus’s brainchild and it is his passion and ingenuity that has seen GOA develop to its current position within industry. We extend our sincere appreciation for his invaluable leadership and service, which have been instrumental in shaping the direction and success of our company over the past five years, and we appreciate the continued support he’ll offer in a mentoring capacity.”

Former GM, Vanessa de Sousa takes over as CEO with her priority being to launch GOAlite, a new club management software system designed around efficiency and compliance.  De Sousa says the organization is restructuring team roles to support GOAlite and provide better customer service.

GOA says the strategic move was to ensure long-term sustainability of the organization and was “a direct response to the dynamic shifts taking place within our industry and the need to meet client expectations in a responsible and sustainable manner. We believe that these changes will assist us in our ability to deliver exceptional value to our clients”.

De Sousa said she felt honoured to be taking up the CEO” position. “Having been part of the team for four years, I’ve seen the impact of our work firsthand. I look forward to building on Kobus’s legacy and leading GOA into its next phase with the integration of GOAlite and our focus on collaboration, innovation, and sustainable value.”

De Sousa told Cannabiz Africa that “with the GOA club model defined and the integration of our new system (GOAlite) well underway, Kobus is currently focusing his attention on driving the industrial hemp sector forward through We Work Hemp. They have some exciting projects lined up and have had a fantastic response from stakeholders and government”.

De Sousa says the evolution of the GOA is about reducing complexities: “We understand that change brings both challenges and opportunities, and we remain fully committed to maintaining transparency and continuity throughout this transition. Our core values and dedication to excellence remain unchanged.”

GOA is one of South Africa’s most established private cannabis club service providers having fielded over 500 club queries since it was founded in 2020. With the number of affiliated clubs fluctuating because of market conditions and compliance standards, GOA clubs have somewhere around 8 000 members and has created over 1 200 jobs to date.

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