‘Weed’ may be the way to wealth

Agriculture, forestry & fisheries minister Senzeni Zokwana believes the stagnant economy would greatly benefit from dagga – dubbed the green gold of Mpondoland and the Eastern Cape – if it were to be cultivated on a large scale and within the ambit of the law.

And if that were to happen, rural communities where dagga if grown should not be exploited but financially benefit from it.

Zokwana said the state should take major steps to ensure that it protects the rights of the communities that grow dagga, and pointed out dagga and hemp could be cultivated for medicinal use.

He was speaking at a Heritage Day celebrations hosted by AmaTshomane’s Nkosi Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo and his community at Gqubeni Great Place in Mqanduli on Saturday.

Zokwana said: “Research has shown that by 2025 the global market for dagga products will be around R21bn. But we must make sure that the communities around where it grows benefit the most, than people who come outside and believe they can exploit the process.”

His comments come days after the Constitutional Court decriminalised the private use of cannabis last week.

“What we would like to see is where dagga is used for its economic and medicinal benefits instead of being smoked by the people.

“We will await the processes that are going to unfold in terms of the cabinet dealing with the judgment,” he said.

Zokwana also warned that last week’s court ruling could be detrimental if the youth abused dagga.

There have been calls to legalise dagga for years now – something that has divided the country – with some believing it would benefit the economy while others believe it would result in many more drug addicts.

Turning his attention to the ocean economy, Zokwana said: “If we need to succeed in boosting the economy through agriculture, we need to ensure that communities along the coast closer to the ocean should be given access to fishing licences to fish and we are speeding up the process.”

He said the first fishing licences will be given to the communities of the Northern Cape on September 28 for the coming fishing season.

AmaXhosa King Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu urged communities to work the land and produce food and not wait for government handouts.

“Food security is part of our heritage,” said.

The monarch spoke out strongly against vandalism during service delivery protests.

“It is neither clever nor mature to burn infrastructure meant to develop our community. Why burn a school and demand a clinic?

“The clinic we demand today is the same clinic we will burn when we demand roads tomorrow.

“You see that chain of destruction is not helping but creates a chain of destruction.”