Global Citizen
Flash Briefing: SA’s first cannabis hub; Cele on instigators of July unrest; “mix and match” booster jabs in SA
Gauteng premier David Makhura has announced plans to establish the country’s first cannabis hub as part of a R45bn development in the Vaal River area.
- Gauteng premier David Makhura has announced plans to establish the country's first cannabis hub as part of a R45bn development in the Vaal River area. Presenting his state of the nation address on Monday (21 February), Makhura said that the cannabis hub will primarily focus on growing cannabis for medical use, and would not be sold recreationally. The government has identified cannabis as a key economic differentiator for South Africa in the coming years. In his February state of the nation address, president Cyril Ramaphosa said that his cabinet will fast-track regulations for the cannabis industry in South Africa, estimating that hemp and cannabis production can create as many as 130,000 new jobs for the country.
- Police Minister Bheki Cele said he received information on the identities of the 12 instigators of the July unrest from a member of the public. On Monday, Cele told the South African Human Rights Commission's hearing into the July unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng that he usually received information from members of the public because his contact number was available on the internet. "I have a phone number that is on the internet. It irritates, but it helps because you really do get things that you wouldn't if your number wasn't known. Somebody came to brief me, especially on the people who were pushing this on the internet," Cele said. Cele said 19 people had been arrested for allegedly instigating the unrest. Two of the cases were withdrawn and the others were still before the courts.
- The government has reduced the interval between Covid-19 shots, and will now offer "mix and match" booster jabs to adults, the health department announced on Monday morning. It said homologous boosting is preferred if both vaccines are available at sites, but heterologous boosting is permitted if the person seeking a vaccine wants a different booster, or has experienced adverse events with their primary course. SA currently offers people either a single Johnson & Johnson (J&J) shot, or two shots of Pfizer's vaccine six weeks apart as their primary course, followed by a booster of the same shot.