Possibly the busiest and definitely the most enthusiastic Dagga Farmer I have ever known, Julian Stobbs, was murdered 1 year ago today. Shot in bed whilst sleeping next to his love, Myrtle Clarke.

While South Africans enjoy the freedoms of the plant granted in the past few years, in large thanks to the work of Jules and Myrtle, our beloved Dagga Couple, the somber South African truth is that our Dagga Farmers are not safe; not from the criminals and not from the police. Ordinary hard working, tax paying citizens are not safe. 

After a year of waiting, with no information, no communication and an absolute lack of any kind of service or support from the South African Police Service (SAPS – or should we just say SAP) on the mythical “investigation” of Jules’s murder, our brave Myrtle paid a visit to Diepsloot Police Station for some answers.

When did the lines of the cops and robbers get blurred so blatantly in this country? Was it when Julian and Myrtle, at the start of their journey as The Dagga Couple, were bombarded upon in the middle of the night, denied their human rights and bullied by the police? The same police who have failed us in their roles as protectors and law enforcers….. Or was it somewhere before then? Maybe somewhere in-between then and this dreadful night last year, when the products of the problems of our society stole the life of a man who has done so much good for this country and her people? A man who we always knew to be truly larger than life.

Does it even matter? How gone is too far gone, when there is no service from the South African Police, and there will never be any sort of justice for Jules. When you launch a more meaningful and impactful investigation by Google mapping it to Diepsloot Police Station, than they have ever done for your loved ones murder case.

Reality checks aside, let us not dwell on what can’t be done. What we can do is honour Jules and his legacy by continuing to support Myrtle and Fields of Green for ALL, continuing to light and fuel the fire to burn. We can continue to look after our fellow farmers, our fellow community members. We will continue to speak out against the brutality of the serviceless police and the senselessness of our lawmakers. We will continue to speak the truth, even when it’s hard. We will continue to spark one up for Jules and we will continue to fight this fight for sovereignty, for the plant, for our human rights. 

It will never be the same without you Jules, but the fire you and Myrtle have started will continue to burn, and rage, and be the catalyst to change. We see and feel you in everything we do, every battle we endure, every seed we plant, every dab we dab, every bong we hit, every joint we smoke and every fire we stoke. 

Rest in Power, our Captain Green.