President: Support mechanisms will be put in place for small-scale cannabis farmers

President Cyril Ramaphosa says support mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that the commercialization of cannabis does not “disadvantage small and subsistence growers”.

He told ANC conference delegates at the East London International Convention Centre on 9 May 2022 that they should put party differences behind them and focus on building the region’s economy. 

Ramaphosa was in the Eastern Cape after his political ally, the incumbent premier, Oscar Mabuyane, was re-elected provincial chairperson.

Ramaphosa spoke about reviving the Eastern Cape’s economy and finding more opportunities to attract investments to the province.

“Effectively responding to the challenges facing the Eastern Cape and our country, in particular creating more jobs and fighting poverty, requires a strong and united ANC committed to serving the people.

“We must ensure that commercialisation does not disadvantage small and subsistence growers of cannabis, and the government will put in place mechanisms to support and protect small and subsistence growers,” Ramaphosa said during his closing remarks at the conference.

Cannabis included for the first time in assessing compensation for flood damage

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape has now included unlicensed cannabis farmers as potential beneficiaries of flood relief.  Masiza Mazizi, spokesperson for the  Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAF), said the early April floods had hit the Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo and OR Tambo district municipalities, known as high cannabis production areas.

Mazizi said the department had deployed a technical team to support members of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in the three areas. The technical team reported that in Port St Johns local municipality, “89 farmers (37 females, 48 males, three youths and one disability project) were affected, with 774 hectares of maize and 46 hectares of vegetables damaged at a cost of R12,009,000.  Damage to cannabis crops is estimated at R800,000 and piggery damage is estimated at R200,000”.