With the start of the planting season for hemp and cannabis plants in South Africa, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has highlighted its role in developing and implementing the National Cannabis Master Plan. It is the policy of government to position South Africa as a leader in the commercial production of cannabis and hemp.

“The country is transitioning towards a fully regulated, economically driven cannabis and hemp industry, focusing on harmonising laws, boosting local cultivation, and creating export opportunities – all while emphasising public health and safety,” explained the dtic in its statement. “The National Cannabis Master Plan has been assigned to the [dtic] to centralise policy, accelerate implementation, streamline licensing, and foster an inclusive commercial framework.”

Medicinal cannabis was legalised in South Africa in 2017, and private use was decriminalised, by the Constitutional Court, the following year. The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act was signed into law in May last year.

The Agriculture Department had issued 1 408 cultivation permits for medical cannabis. Additionally, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority had issued 120 export licences for medical cannabis products.

However, the commercial trade in cannabis still faced regulatory obstacles. These, the dtic affirmed, were being addressed. The dtic had been in discussions with the relevant national and provincial government departments, and with industry stakeholders, to develop a commercialisation policy. This Hemp and Cannabis Commercialisation Policy was expected to be ready for presentation to, and approval by, Cabinet, and release for public comment, by April next year.

Further, an overarching Cannabis Bill is also being developed. This will cover commercial cultivation, private use, research, and manufacturing and will unify the current regulations, including the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act. This Cannabis Bill is scheduled to be placed before Parliament in mid-2027.

Meanwhile, the Cannabis sativa L plant, which has a low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content (THC is the psychoactive compound found in cannabis/marijuana/dagga), was classified as an agricultural product, by the Department of Agriculture, in late 2021. However, this was accompanied by one of the strictest THC content limits in the world, at 0.2%. This disregarded the fact that intense sunlight boosted THC levels, which made legal cultivation challenging.

A new maximum THC content limit, of 2%, is now awaiting proclamation by the Agriculture Minister. This will make it much easier for farmers to grow regulatory-compliant crops and for downstream industrial uses, ranging from textiles to construction materials, to be developed.

“[T]he department has committed to support the industry through trade remedies, export opportunities, industry standards and compliance, combating illicit trade and access to funding for the downstream activities,” highlighted the dtic. “[T]he export-driven hemp and cannabis industry is key in the South African economy as it is one of the leading labour absorbing sectors within many rural communities. The hemp and cannabis industry employs over 90 000 people in South Africa.”