By Edward Tsumele
While there are still hurdles to be ironed out in the much awaited Cannabis Master Plan, that is hoped will clear the way in which the game will be played in the growing cannabis industry, some provinces, such as Gauteng are steaming ahead in building infrastructure, preparing the province for a stake in the lucrative legal cannabis sector.
At the State of the Province Address (Sopa) on Monday, February 21, 2022, Gauteng Premier David Makhura, though admitting that the Cannabis Master Plan is slowing down things for the industry to fully realize its potential, announced a huge cannabis infrastructure development in the Vaal, South of Johannesburg, that the Gauteng Provincial Government will fund as part of its R45 billion development in the area. The cannabis hub will be the country’s first facility of its kind. The Premier however did not spell out the specifics of how much of that money will go towards the construction of the planned cannabis hub.
This is however a significant development on the cannabis front because this suggests that government is now fully behind the industrialization of the sector and is prepared to put its money where its mouth is. Gauteng is the country’s economic hub, contributing the bulk of South Africa’s GDP atR 811 billion.
The Vaal River infrastructure development’s features will also nclude among others green hydrogen innovation hub, an aerotropolis and aerodrome and a steel manufacturing sector
“All the four municipalities in the district have collectively made land available for this Special Economic Zone development. Notwithstanding some delays in the finalisation of the master plan, we are firmly on track to kickstart the revitalisation of the Sedibeng economy this year,” he said.