12 May 2015

Dagga activist admits he lit up a doobie on SABC News

Thinus Ferreira

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Dagga activist lights a joint on live TV. (Photo supplied)

Cape Town – A studio guest admits he started smoking dagga live on the air on The Newsroom on the SABC's 24-hour TV news channel, SABC News (DStv 404) on MultiChoice's DStv, on Monday during an interview about the legalisation of cannabis in South Africa.

The on-air incident came in the same programme on SABC News, The Newsroom, a month after the show's regular anchor Eben Jansen was caught in an on-air outburst during an interview with the EFF spokesperson which quickly degenerated and which saw Jansen suspended indefinitely after the SABC said he wasn't emotionally fit to be on air.

Although it is illegal to smoke inside and with smoking not allowed in SABC buildings and definitely not inside SABC studios, Andre du Plessis, head of the Cannabis Working Group, suddenly lit up a dagga joint on SABC News and started smoking and puffing while The Newsroom cameras kept him on the air and showing his dagga smoking to viewers.

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