Tito Mboweni has been in the news for all the right reasons lately. Unlike other loudmouthed politicians playing the twit on twitter, Tito has been promoting the legalization of cannabis in South Africa, even going as far as saying it will be great for the countries tax revenue.
It all started on the 9th of January when he posted a question to the twitter community whether or not he should cut a cannabis plant that is naturally growing in his vegetable patch on his farm in Magoebeskloof, Limpopo.
I found this growing at the Farm! Cut it down or allow it to grow? How did it get here? Should we just legalize this thing once and for all? I can see the responses!! Say it!! pic.twitter.com/voTFg67sXB
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) January 9, 2020
He further realized that another plant was growing in his neighbours garden.
“My neighbor found this thing too! The soil is ready in Makgobaskloof to grow it legally! The economy of Lusikisiki and Tzaneen is waiting for legal growth of the stuff!! R4bn plus!! Tax money,” Mboweni said.”
My neighbor found this thing too! The soil is ready in Makgobaskloof to grow it LEGALLY!! The economy of Lusikisiki and Tzaneen is waiting for legal growth of the stuff!! R4bn plus!! Tax money!! pic.twitter.com/6OxJgaajGg
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) January 9, 2020
After the happy herbsman farmer had heard from the thousands of tweets in support of legalization he tweeted that getting the support of medical doctors would need to be addressed.
On this one, the majority says: LEGALIZE IT!! I will put the proposal to legalize it at the Cabinet Lekgotla this January. The People have demanded it. But those medical doctors🙈🙈. 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/WGC78wsByC
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) January 9, 2020
Tito the cannabis farmer finally shared some irie tunes on his twitter account, sharing the song by Peter Tosh, Legalize IT.
But Mboweni’s images show no sign that he is preparing for commercial cultivation of cannabis, which means he remains on the right side of the law as it presently stands, lawyers say.
Both private use and private cultivation of dagga was decriminalised by a Constitutional Court judgment in September 2018,
“If he intends to sell it, then he’s outside of the law. Presently, he’s just posting photos of it and driving debate around whether it should be fully legalised for commercial use. I don’t see that he prima facie falls foul of any laws,” said Paul-Michael Keichel, a partner at Schindlers Attorneys who has been at the forefront of changes to the law. Source
Social media has taken positively to the officials tweets over the last few weeks. He even scored an 8.625 score from the local hotbox crew of cannabis connoisseurs.
We still not to sure about the size of his plant, but it has been suggested it is about 2 metres in height and not alone. There seems to be a couple offspring growing happily next to the big mother plant. Tito claims that this naturally occurring plant grew by itself and he seems to have an interest in watching it flower and the others.
Hey Tito Mboweni! Mine’s bigger than yours!
One social media user went on to challenge Tito to measure his plant and give us some hints and tips. At over 4 metres after the weekend rainfull, Quintins plant is surely one of the biggest in South Africa!!