Ramaphosa makes "joint" joke at CSIR's cannabis facility
"So, this is... yes, it is... Durban poison, Durban poison yes..."
President Ramaphosa joked while touring the CSIR cannabis research
facility.
As the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) celebrated its 80th anniversary, it welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa for a special visit to see its cutting-edge research and development initiatives.
The tour made a strong impression on the president. According to Engineering News, he said, "I got to see the vast array of work being done across the CSIR’s clusters, in areas such as advanced agriculture and food, chemicals, health, mining, manufacturing, defence, digital transformation, human settlements and the built environment."
He praised the organisation’s efforts as being "firmly aligned with the government’s priorities of driving inclusive growth and job creation", adding that these innovations are helping to reduce poverty and lower the cost of living.
He believes that the CSIR's work is helping to build a "capable, ethical and developmental State".
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One of the lighter moments from Ramaphosa’s visit quickly made its way to social media, showing him touring the CSIR’s cannabis research facility.
The footage, shared on TikTok by Athi Geleba, head of digital communications in the Presidency, captured the president in high spirits as a senior researcher explained how the facility transforms marijuana into "high-quality, regulatory-compliant, safe, efficacious and affordable cannabis products for local and international markets", according to Engineering News.
Watch the first video, where Ramaphosa jokes about stashing the weed in his pocket, followed by a playful exchange with Minister Nzimande as they refer to it as “Durban poison” – courtesy of Instagram.
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The second video that sparked even more laughter featured senior researcher Phatheka Ndzotoyi presenting a basket of CBD-infused products developed at the CSIR facility.
When she encouraged the president to try them, he jokingly asked if they would make him high.
His curiosity led to a light-hearted exchange as he prompted her to explain how the edibles were made and what exactly they contained.
Watch the video from TikTok below.
@athigeleba ♬ original sound - Athi Geleba 🇿🇦
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Image courtesy of Instagram