South Africa News

ACDP snub marijuana ruling

African Christians Democratic party, inevitably rebuked the judgment that decriminalised the use of cannabis, a ruling handed down by Judge Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo of Constitutional Court earlier this week.

ACDP says the ruling will add on to the social upheavals that already engulfed South Africa.

Speaking on SAFM with Naye Lupondwana the party’s deputy president Mr Wayne Thring said  “South Africa at the moment has a crime epidemic. One of the things that we do know that feed into crime is drug addiction”.

marijuana

There is a sufficient empirical evidence that Marijuana is a harmful drug. Those who are addicted to hardcore drugs started from Marijuana”.

Wayne said the legalisation of cannabis will add on the country’s health burden,  the challenges that South Africa has economically, crime, challenges that we have in our schools”.

According to ACDP there should have been a parliamentary participation first rather a decision been taken first and Parliament participation after.

“Let south Africans speak out and voice out their opposition to the legalisation of the decriminalisation of marijuana”. Says ACDP’s Wayne Thring

Deputy Chief Justice Zondo ruling

In his ruling, DCJ Zondo nullified  section 4(b) of the Drugs Act and rendered it unconstitutional.

DCJ Zondo said “section 4(b) of the Drugs Act and  was unconstitutional,  therefore, invalid to the extent that it prohibits the use or possession of cannabis by an adult in private for that adult’s personal consumption in private.

He said “section 5(b) of the Drugs Act was constitutionally invalid to the extent that it prohibits the cultivation of cannabis by an adult in a private place for that adult’s personal consumption in private.

DCJ Zondo further said ” section 22A(9)(a)(i) of the Medicines Act was constitutionally invalid to the extent that it renders the use or possession of cannabis by an adult in private for that adult’s personal consumption in private a criminal offence”.

By: Steve Lefophana