All eyes on cannabis sector in KZN
AS KWAZULU-NATAL prepares to implement the Cannabis Master Plan, which aims to commercialise the sector, one municipality is already moving forward with a pilot project.
The Okhahlamba Local Municipality in Bergville in the uThukela District Municipality launched the pilot project in January.
The municipality said the project aimed to establish the Okhahlamba district as a centre for cannabis cultivation, processing, and manufacture in South Africa
The cannabis and hemp sector has been identified by the government as a key that could unlock economic growth and alleviate unemployment.
A National Treasury document on Operation Vulindlela, an economic reform programme, states that it is estimated that South Africa has more than 900 000 smallscale farmers growing cannabis in KZN, the Eastern Cape and other provinces.
Recognising the economic benefits, four KZN districts have been identified for cannabis production, namely uThukela, uMzinyathi, Harry Gwala and uMgungundlovu.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has also set aside R10 million to support cannabis farmers, with the funding earmarked for infrastructure and production input.
Agriculture MEC Super Zuma said the industry would create a lot of job opportunities in the province. He said the departments would be helping farmers apply for licences and permits in order to commence farming.
Okhahlamba mayor Vikizitha Mlotshwa said the project was an initiative of the municipality, Hectare Capital and Partners and Druids Garden.
“The project is a community-based project driven by the municipality, and Hectare Capital and Partners are responsible for the project management, implementation, and fundraising of the project,” he said.
Clive Smith, the project manager, said planting of medicinal hemp seeds took place in January and harvesting will take place next month.
Explaining the process after the harvest, Smith said that once harvested, the plants will be transported to the drying facility to be processed.
“Processing consists of three steps; you dry the flower, abstract the essential oils from the flower and it will be packaged.”
One of the partners, Cian McClelland of Druids Garden, said the project was aimed at the upliftment of the community.
“The municipality has been a great support for this project. They have provided a lot of services.”
Mlotshwa said the project sought to overcome the historical persecution of the growing of the plant.
He also said that the project, which incorporates traditional authorities and communities, aimed to be a model that
empowered local people to own the full value chain, thereby deriving the full benefits that they had been historically denied.
He added that the project will take advantage of existing infrastructure that was installed for the grape and vegetable projects funded by the KZN provincial government to lower start-up costs and render the project more attractive to investors.
He said eight employees were working
at the farm, which is located in the Amaswazi community, and a further 14 employees had been working at the nursery located in Bergville town.
Overall, the project was expected to create approximately 150 jobs.
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Nomalungelo Gina said during a visit to Okhahlamba that the cannabis sector had a huge potential for
the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) located in the rural areas where the poverty rate is high.
“Government estimates that the cultivation and commercialisation of cannabis production in South Africa can generate an estimated R28 billion and could create between 10 000 to 25 000 jobs across the sector. Focusing on value chains from cultivation and agro-processing to sales, will increase benefits and job creation.”
Gina also noted that the area has a unique climate that is favourable to the growing of cannabis.
“We are here to nudge you as people of Bergville to focus more in particular on the growing of cannabis, and the agro-processing of cannabis for markets both domestic and abroad,” added Gina.