Cannabiz Africa understands the President’s office came under a deluge of internal and external queries after the Health Minister’s gazetted notice on 7 March 2025. came from left field with a blanket ban on cannabis edibles, that included hemp.

One source close to the Presidency says Ramaphosa himself was taken by surprise as he had no prior warning about the ban and was angry at the Minister for undermining his SONA promise a month earlier that South Africa would take the ‘lead in cannabis and hemp commercialization’.

Cannabiz Africa understands that the President decided to act swiftly in lifting the ban altogether rather than a partial lifting of the restriction on hemp foodstuffs, after being briefed of the legal implications and the potential damages that could arise if no action was taken.

This led to the statement of 25 March 2025 in which the President said the Minister would withdraw the regulations, stressing that there would be stakeholder engagement before any new regulations were issued.  

Cannabiz Africa understands that any regulatory decisions around the Cannabis Master Plan have been removed from Health and handed over to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), which will be responsible for interaction with stakeholders.

The DTIC’s Sinah Mosehla says the Department was aware of the Phakisa submissions and was preparing a public consultation process on a commercial framework for cannabis in the near future.

Cheeba Africa co-founder Trenton Birch, who was first off the mark with a letter to the President, told Cannabiz Africa “Obviously as an industry we are ecstatic that we have won and got the Government to withdraw its stupid decision”.

“But", he said,"we must not forget how this is just a clear example of how the different parts of government are disenfranchised from working together harmoniously".

"Having said that, this is a great step forward for the industry and was absolutely necessary. It is also a prime example of why we urgently need legislation".

Birch said the industry had run out of patience with promises for a commercial framework for the domestic use of cannabis: "We want it now, and are not prepared to wait for it anymore”.

The withdrawal is a “critical win for logic, legality and livelihoods”, said Tebogo Thlopane, chairperson of the Cannabis Trade Association Africa. “But we remain on high alert. The industry cannot afford policy volatility. We need regulatory certainty, backed by science and common sense.”

Silverleaf Invstments’ director Darryl Weiss, agrees. He told Cannabiz Africa he was quite taken aback by the President’s quick response in lifting the ban.

“Hopefully, this rapid turnaround will create the momentum needed for the cannabis industry—and those who have invested significant capital, resources, and commitment over the past five or more years—to finally see the same urgency from the Presidency, the DTIC, and other key ministries to finalise legislation pertaining to the industry.”

Friends of Hemp South Africa is no longer going ahead with the litigation it had planned in response to the now withdrawn ban but some individual companies might still take legal action for losses incurred while it was implemented, according to FOHSA co founder M Ayanda Bam said. 

Another stakeholder who wrote to the President was attorney Charl Botha, who urged the Government to take the following three steps going forward regarding cannabis and foodstuff:

1.     Development of a clear and science-based regulatory framework distinguishing hemp-derived foodstuffs from psychoactive cannabis products.

2.     Harmonization of local regulations with international standards to facilitate trade and economic development.

3.     Industry engagement with regulatory authorities, including SAHPRA and the Department of Health, to establish risk-based product classifications rather than outright prohibitions.

At the time of going to press, the Ministry of Health, had no further comment to make.

Last week during the Cheeba What the Hemp 2.0? webinar on 12 March 2025, DTIC spokesperson Thembelihle Ndukwana, said she expected the ban to be temporary and that the DTIC would begin co-funding hemp foodstuff projects once the restrictions were lifted.

She told stakeholders: “You should be on the lookout, we will be reaching out to you to co-create this Master Plan”.

At the time of going to press, applications closed for the position of Cannabis Master Plan project manager, a post within the DTIC. It’s not clear whether the process of appointment will delay that of stakeholder engagement.

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