ELLEK Albanie of Mahlubini Location near Kei Bridge has been using dagga for 31 years. It is more than a puff for him.
“Ganja (dagga) is not only for smoking; it is a medicine used to cure high blood pressure, chest pains and arthritis,” said Albanie.
The 62-year-old staunch Rastafarian said nobody other than God had created dagga and it should therefore be legalised.
Albanie found himself in hot water last week when Kei Bridge police, acting on a tip- off, raided his dagga plantation and confiscated dagga to the value of R6600.
The dagga plants, about 44 of them, were uprooted and loaded on a police van and shipped to the Butterworth police exhibit centre. Albanie was arrested and charged for being in possession of dagga.
However, a Butterworth magistrate saw no reason to continue with the case as Albanie pleaded guilty to being in possession of dagga and he was released on a warning.
“ I am not against the law of the land, the law of the land is against me and my religion,” said Albanie in reference of South Africa’s strict drug laws on possession and usage of dagga.
The increasingly illicit dagga trade in the Eastern Cape has also seen police clamp down hard on users, dealers and bootleggers.
Albanie said dagga was not a crime – the problem lay with youngsters who used it incorrectly. “The true children of Jah smoke ganja and then meditate. Some come out onto the streets and sing against the social injustices of this world. That is what Rastafarian is all about,” said Albanie.
“Jah (God) created ganja. If the tree were evil He would not have allowed it to grow from the soil of the earth ,” said Albanie.
The cheerful Rastafarian has strong family values and is married to a Rasta woman. They have two children.
Albanie said he did not sell dagga to the people in his village. Headman Patrick Mki said he had heard about the raid on Albanie’s property but did not know whether Albanie was dealing in dagga or not.
“ I would kick anyone I come across smoking that nonsense,” said Mki. —
Rasta says dagga is good for health
“Ganja (dagga) is not only for smoking; it is a medicine used to cure high blood pressure, chest pains and arthritis,” said Albanie.
The 62-year-old staunch Rastafarian said nobody other than God had created dagga and it should therefore be legalised.
Albanie found himself in hot water last week when Kei Bridge police, acting on a tip- off, raided his dagga plantation and confiscated dagga to the value of R6600.
The dagga plants, about 44 of them, were uprooted and loaded on a police van and shipped to the Butterworth police exhibit centre. Albanie was arrested and charged for being in possession of dagga.
However, a Butterworth magistrate saw no reason to continue with the case as Albanie pleaded guilty to being in possession of dagga and he was released on a warning.
“ I am not against the law of the land, the law of the land is against me and my religion,” said Albanie in reference of South Africa’s strict drug laws on possession and usage of dagga.
The increasingly illicit dagga trade in the Eastern Cape has also seen police clamp down hard on users, dealers and bootleggers.
Albanie said dagga was not a crime – the problem lay with youngsters who used it incorrectly. “The true children of Jah smoke ganja and then meditate. Some come out onto the streets and sing against the social injustices of this world. That is what Rastafarian is all about,” said Albanie.
“Jah (God) created ganja. If the tree were evil He would not have allowed it to grow from the soil of the earth ,” said Albanie.
The cheerful Rastafarian has strong family values and is married to a Rasta woman. They have two children.
Albanie said he did not sell dagga to the people in his village. Headman Patrick Mki said he had heard about the raid on Albanie’s property but did not know whether Albanie was dealing in dagga or not.
“ I would kick anyone I come across smoking that nonsense,” said Mki. —
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