Een sensationale doorbraak in Johannesburg vanochtend: het Hooggerechtshof van Zuid Afrika oordeelt dat het verbod op consumptie, bezit en teelt van cannabis in de eigen woning strijdig is met de grondwet van 1996. De rechters gaven de overheid twee jaar om de wetten te veranderen, maar vanaf vandaag is gebruik, bezit en thuisteelt van cannabis in de eigen woning niet langer strafbaar in Zuid Afrika.
De klinkende overwinning is de vrucht van jarenlange strijd, met name door Ras Gareth Prince, Jeremy Acton en The Dagga Couple, Jules Stobbs en Myrtle Clarke. Jules en Myrtle waren in juni nog in Nederland voor de laatste Cannabis Bevrijdingsdag. Rechter Raymond Zondo verklaarde in het langverwachte vonnis: “The right to privacy is not confined to a home or private dwelling. It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private space.”
Het parlement en de regering krijgen twee jaar om de wetten over cannabis aan te passen. Zondo: “This Court must invoke its powers under s 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution to order a suspension of the declaration of invalidity for a realistic period to ensure Parliament may correct the defect. In my view, a period of 24 months from the date of this judgment would be appropriate.”
Hieronder een aantal tweets van Katharine Child, journalist van The Times of South Africa, vanuit het Hooggerechtshof op deze historische dag, 18 september 2018:
Court breaks out into applause and interrupts reading of judgment.
Section 4b of drugs act is unconstitutional and invalid to extent it prohibits possession of dagga by adult in private for personal consumption in private.— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
Ban on Private possession, consumption and private cultivation of dagga at home is ruled unconstitutional.
So you can smoke at home and grow your own weed.
And right to privacy not confirmed to home. People screaming in joy in con court.
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
Literally, you can smoke weed at home tonight.
A man screams “Babylon” in court. There is so much applause and the court is being very patient with all the interruptions and noise and cheers.
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
So impressed with Judge Zondo – he has not once told the screaming, clapping and loud gallery of dagga users to keep quiet in court.
I think he realises the court is for the people. Even the dreadlocked, stoned and VERY loud people
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
Garreth Prince, you defeated Goliath screams a man repeatedly in Concourt. Never seen such happy lawyers and gallery. Its more joyful than Christmas here.
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
Celebratory photo of dagga couple and their legal team. They were friends of the court in this matter. pic.twitter.com/eGG1LX0DDY
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018
“We are free”, this man shouts. “After thousands of years. Rastafarai…. We are free!!!! ” pic.twitter.com/51J5VNDibW
— Katharine Child (@katjanechild) September 18, 2018