ACDP
Advocate Zwelethu “Mighty” Madasa says the African Christian Democratic Party believes that cannabis is dangerous to society and should therefore remain illegal.
According to Madasa, there is scientific evidence to proves that cannabis is a drug. And that the abuse of it leads to an increase in crime. This he has seen with his own eyes, he says, while growing up in the Transkei, where many people survive on it.
ANC
Spokesperson Steyn Speed says the African National Congress believes that the existing law should remain in place.
Speed is unaware of the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to exclude “hemp” from the law that makes cannabis illegal.
Azapo
Pandelane Nefolovhodwe of the Azanian People’s Organisation says it has no problem with the personal or traditional uses of cannabis. “But it is not an issue for the election now.”
DA
The Democratic Alliance uses Bob Marley’s Stand up For Your Rights as part of their crowd- pleasing campaign.
And grandmother of the DA Helen Suzman strongly supports the decriminalisation of cannabis. “People are sent to prisons for cannabis and then they get raped, they get HIV/ Aids; and a criminal record for life,” she says.
Suzman says that cannabis is a gateway drug simply because the same black-market dealer who sells one cannabis will also push the harder drugs.
“Furthermore, cannabis is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol. It doesn’t make people aggressive and they don’t smash their cars.”
Considering this, one would expect the DA to have a liberal policy on cannabis. But they don’t have one at all and they are not liberal, either.
To please the crowd, health spokesperson Robert Carlisle issued an “embargoed” proposal.
“That the government be requested to appoint a commission to investigate and report on the production, distribution and use of cannabis in South Africa with the objective of developing national policy in this regard.”
Of particular consideration in this investigation should be the “elimination of criminal distributors.” So what’s new?
GP
Being the only party with an official policy on cannabis, the Green Party supports the legalisation of growing, trading and utilisation of the weed.
Their “environmentally friendly” policy can be read at “www. greenparty.org.za/daggapolicy.html
ID
When André du Plessis — an activist for the legalisation of hemp — started to share his vision with those in power three years ago, “funky” Patricia de Lille was the only one who spent the time listening to him.
Then she was still with the PAC. Now neither she nor any spokesperson of the Independent Democrats is available for comment.
IFP
The party’s communications spokesperson, Suzanne Vos, says she wishes she knew what the Inkatha Freedom Party’s stand on cannabis is.
“I’ve certainly never been to National Council where it’s been discussed,” she says.
Nevertheless, she thinks the decriminalisation of cannabis is an interesting argument that needs to be pursued. National spokesperson John Cayzer was just as outspoken: “I don’t know.”
NNP
According to health spokesperson Dr Kobus Gouws, the New National Party takes note of what the leading countries are up to with regards to the decriminalisation and industrial utilisation of cannabis.
Gouws, a practising doctor, believes there is a particularly strong case for cannabis as medicine. Furthermore, he finds the manpower and money wasted on police raids shocking. According to Gouws the NNP takes a “quite liberal” stand on cannabis and believes that the law should be relaxed.
PAC
This site is still under construction. The requested information is not available yet.
UCDP
Spokesperson Mavis Matladi says that as a Christian Party the United Christian Democratic Party is against the abuse of drugs. “Until we are sure about the benefits of cannabis, or of its medical purpose, the UCDP can not take an official stand.”
UDM
The United Democratic Movement is opposed to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational or other general usage. “Legalising Cannabis in South Africa may, in fact, increase the influence of the crime syndicates.
“As far as hemp is concerned, it is difficult to understand why, at a time of massive agricultural and technological knowledge and capacity, we should fixate on this particular plant fibre. There are many plants with equivalent properties.”
FF+
According to spokesperson Pieter Groenewald, the Freedom Front Plus strongly condemns the use of cannabis. I told him that Mercedes uses it for biodegradable dashboards and door panels. “Well, then it should be properly regulated.”
Ruan Kemp is a freelance journalist