Open Letter to the National Cannabis Master Plan Development Steering Committee

One of the functions of civil society organisations and the active citizenry that supports them is to hold our governments to account. Here at Fields of Green for ALL we have done this through our Strategic Litigation campaigns and our participation in discussions where possible. I say “where possible” because we are not always invited to participate. It is a challenge to be heard, as so many of our supporters have heard me say over the years.

One occasion where we were certainly given a chance to participate was the Phakisa Action Lab held in May 2023. I came away from those intense 5 days with a renewed sense of hope. We scored a new police directive which we hoped would stop the arrests, unlawful incarceration and extortion by the SAPS. We participated in lively debates around law, economy, livelihoods, rights and everything in between. The right people were in the right place discussing the right things.

And then what? Nothing. Not even the police directive works.

In keeping with our commitments to our supporters, we’ve written to the Steering Committee appointed by the government after the Phakisa. These are the SteerCo members and their respective constituencies as communicated to us in September 2023:

HRH Zolani Mkiva; Chief Lungelo Nokwaza / Traditional leaders
Dr. Thandeka Kunene; Ras Gareth Prince / Rastafari
Gogo Tiisetso Makhoba- Lengosane; Rosalyn Malyo / Traditional Healers
Nomathamsanqa Thami Madliwa ; Prof. Motlalepule Matshabisa / Farmers
Ayanda Bam; Theo Boshoff / Business
Tony Ehrenreich; Tengo Tengela / Labour
Thembinkosi Josopu; Nhlanhla Ndlovu / Community

Read the Letter HERE

The outcome document from the Phakisa was never made public and there is not much we can do about that BUT, we CAN demand transparency from a committee that promised transparency from the outset. We will certainly let our supporters know should we receive a reply.
Aluta Continua!!

Myrtle &the FGA Team