King Khoisan in dock as case postponed to November

King Khoisan returned to court again to challenge dagga legislation after being dragged out of the Union Buildings grounds clinging to a dagga plant earlier this year.

In January, images of King Khoisan holding onto a dagga plant for dear life as police dragged him off the premises spread on social media.

He was initially arrested and charged with dealing in dagga, illegal cultivation of dagga and failure to wear a face mask in public when ordered to do so by a police officer.

“As the first nation, we are placed on trial to say we are dealers in dagga. I don’t know the story about dealing in dagga,” he said.

The king said more than 150 officers from Tshwane Metro Police Department, the SA Police Service and even the K9 unit raided them on the day and removed about seven or eight plants.

“How can you arrest the first nation of the land, the people who were here before legislation and used cannabis to heal others,” he said.

The king said everyone knew about the healing properties of the plant. “We are here to say, as the first nation of the land, we cannot be unfairly treated,” he said.

The case was postponed to November.

Cannabis community to march on 17 September

Marijuana Board of SA Gauteng secretary and Rastafarian Steven Thapelo Khunou said they were disappointed by the postponement of the case.

“King Khoisan was heavily harassed at the door of parliament at the Union Buildings. It was a disgrace that such a man could be so manhandled for a few trees of cannabis. They have never apologised,” he said.

He said he was angry because there was no interpreter for the Khoisan king, but there were interpreters for people who spoke foreign languages.

“It shows the government does not respect their logo of unity and diversity because how would you even talk to the king.”

He said the cannabis community will march on 17 September to national key points across the country after the court ruled the grow model of a private cannabis club illegal.

Visitor to the Union Buildings Debbie Fourie said the king should have been removed from the grounds long ago.

“As I understood it, no one is allowed to grow cannabis. Whether you are a king or not, the law is the law. Another visitor, Marchand Conradie, said everyone should be able to grow cannabis freely. “Whether it is at your house or a tent at the Union Buildings,” he said.

Rural criminologist Professor Witness Maluleke said people should be left to practice their beliefs and traditions.

However, the Union Buildings were a national key point, and should be protected and respected at all costs. “Living at the Union Buildings garden is a very wrong gesture and this should change now,” he added.

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