OKhahlamba local municipality on the far midlands of KwaZulu-Natal has moved to harvest its second cannabis produce, three years since it embarked on the ambitious project.
“I’m excited about these developments. Because when we began the cannabis project, many people had doubts,” OKhahlamba mayor Vikizitha Mlotshwa told Sunday World. He said this on the side-lines of the South African Local Government Association (Salga) Provincial Members Assembly.
Many doubted the project when it started
“Many thought we would fail in our endeavour. But I’m happy to say that we have sold our second harvest.”
The assembly convened on Wednesday at the Drakensberg, and concludes on Friday.
The gathering included mayors, municipal officials, chief financial officers. Also senior public servants, all there to deliberate on pertinent issues affecting local government.
Mlotshwa explained that the project was financially backed by the municipality when it started. But two government departments have since come in to offer R6-million to finance a cannabis processing facility.
“When we sold the harvest as a raw product, we received minimum gains. We have now decided to opt for making cannabis products and sell them to the market.
“The R6-million committed by the department of small business and economic development will help us a lot.”
Attempt by commercial farmers to hijack project
He also explained that the commercial farmers have attempted to hijack the project.
“I told people that we should defend the cannabis space. Because it belongs to us as the indigenous people,” he said.
“Besides, lives were lost because the apartheid government waged a war against cannabis growers in this area.”
The Bergville cannabis cultivation is drenched in blood. On March 21, 1957, the present-day human rights villagers clashed with apartheid police. The villages were under various tribal councils in the area famously called eMangwaneni.
The bloody skirmish took place at the cannabis plantations. Deep in the valleys of the Drakensberg mountains.
Tragic history of cannabis farming in the area
The villagers had been working the cannabis fields for years. These served as the main source of income for majority of families back then.
And suddenly they were ambushed by the police.
During the skirmish between police and locals, five members of the security branch police were killed. In retaliation, the angry apartheid system hunted the men down.
They were bundled into a police vehicle and sent to Pretoria Central prison. There they were later hanged to death.
They were then buried in a mass grave and their families not told where they had been buried.
When Mlotshwa took over the reins to lead a coalition government, he embarked on a campaign. He wanted to attain a cannabis licence. This gave the green light for communities under various tribal council. They were now able to cultivate the historic herb for commercial purpose.
