Cyril Ramaphosa aims for South Africa to lead cannabis production: 'Then stop arresting us' - Fields of Green for ALL

AF

Amy Fraser

7 February 2025 | 7:10

"We want South Africa to be leading in the commercial production of hemp and cannabis,” President Cyril Ramaphosa told the nation on Thursday in his State of the Nation Address.

Fields of Green for ALL, a registered non-profit since 2013, is committed to the belief that every person has a fundamental human and constitutional right to use, possess, cultivate, and trade cannabis.

According to Clarke, President Cyril Ramaphosa made his his fourth reference to cannabis during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last night.

Ramaphosa said, "By supporting our farmers, improving our logistics network and rural supply chains, and opening new export markets for products we can significantly expand our agricultural sector. We want South Africa to be leading in the commercial production of hemp and cannabis.”

However, Clarke argues that Ramaphosa's statements are at odds with the reality on the ground.

She says it is impossible for the government to champion cannabis as a marketable product while its citizens are still criminalised for trading in it.

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"Just stop arresting us. Just call off the police and stop arresting us and stop locking us up in cages."
- Myrtle Clarke, cofounder – Fields of Green for ALL

Clarke is working tirelessly to unite the cannabis industry by creating a national industry association.

Such an organisation would allow the hard work being done in all nine provinces to be properly recognised and represented, she says.

Fields of Green for ALL is collaborating with the South African Human Rights Commission to challenge the ongoing arrests of cannabis cultivators. 

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"It really is just a case of the higher hierarchy of the cops looking at this and saying, 'Okay, let's change our KPIs. Let's change our attitude towards cannabis as a drug (because it is a drug), and let's change the policing of this thing', then we no longer have to live in fear."
- Myrtle Clarke, cofounder – Fields of Green for ALL

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.

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