Motlanthe Urges Drug Policy Shift Beyond Users
Former president Kgalema Motlanthe says South Africa's war on drugs should stop targeting drug users while organised criminal networks keep operating.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Drug Crime
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Kgalema Motlanthe, chair of the Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs, called for a rethink of South Africa's approach to drug use and personal possession. Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia delivered a keynote address at the gathering in Cape Town.
Why it matters
Motlanthe argued that existing drug policies have, in many instances, done more harm than good, and that drug-related challenges and organised crime are interconnected. The discussions aim to inform a broader regional rethink of responses to drug use and trafficking.
The discussions were held at a regional commission gathering rather than in a legal proceeding, and no specific charges, court dates or arrests were reported. The concrete policy outcomes of the commission's deliberations remain undetermined.
The players
Kgalema Motlanthe
Former President of South Africa who chairs the Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs and has been a prominent voice on the country's governance and public policy.
Firoz Cachalia
Acting Police Minister of South Africa who delivered the keynote address at the commission's gathering in Cape Town.
The details
The Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs brings together government leaders, civil society, public health experts and law enforcement officials to examine drug use and personal possession policy. The region sits along major shipping routes through the Indian Ocean, which exposes it to trafficking.
Timeline
• 9 November 2026: Discussions on drug policy were held at the commission gathering in Cape Town.
Regional Policy Shift
The ESACD's regional discussions on rethinking drug policy in Cape Town extend a collective effort to reassess enforcement approaches across Eastern and Southern Africa. South Africa's domestic debate over targeting drug users versus dismantling trafficking networks sits within that wider regional reconsideration.
Any shift in South Africa's approach would change how drug possession is handled by police and courts for ordinary residents. Residents in Cape Town and elsewhere could see differences in enforcement priorities depending on the outcome of these policy debates.
The takeaway
Drug policy debates increasingly weigh whether enforcement should focus on users or on the criminal networks behind trafficking. Readers following the issue can track how regional bodies and national authorities respond to these calls for change.
Further reading
Explore more on Drug Crime to see how enforcement debates like this one are playing out across the country.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Voice.
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Should South Africa stop punishing drug users and focus on treatment instead?
