Our Team
David Cilliers
Chief Disruptor
It all begins with an idea. And it was a bold one.
David has a very diverse background in waste-to-energy and mining. As with many new industries, the promises of moonshot returns attracted him to the Hemp industry. And, as is also true for most new industries, he was mislead by some ill-intentioned folk and ended up in dire straights.
His belief in what he started gave birth to a re-engineering strategy. Everything from methods of growing to the final product were completely overhauled. Kushmed’s status as the leader of the South African Hemp Industry are evidence of a successful turnaround.
Yolandie Lessingh
Wizard of Ops
When the task needs doing, she’s the one to call.
Yolandie started her career in property development and management, both commercial and residential. She later transitioned into mining where she was responsible for business development and financial management. She currently heads up Operations at KushMed, responsible for integrating process control and quality management.
Yolandie brings her passion for developing business relationships and a wealth of experience in quality control to the Hemp Industry.
Theuns Botha
Guru of Grows
Our very own Dr. Green Thumb.
Kushmed’s Master Grower has a deep background in the cultivation of Cannabis and joined forces with us to develop the methodology required for South African Hemp. He is educated in the fields of agriculture and botany and has a passion for plant health and naturally boosting yields. Theuns, like the whole Kushmed team, is a firm believer in the healing properties of this magnificent plant and intends to see its widespread uptake across the nation.
All of our farmers receive in person support from Theuns during cultivation and harvest, a key skills transfer aspect of our methodology.
Ncamsile Annatoria Dlamini
The Enforcer
She’s the energy your farm needs.
Queen Nandi brings to the team a wealth experience with a variety of medicinal plants from her qualification as a Doctor of Traditional Medicine. Nandi has been instrumental in the establishment of a regulatory environment for both Hemp and Cannabis in South Africa. Nandi heads up the compliance and quality assurance team, conducting site inspections of all our farms and ensuring a compliant relationship with the various regulatory bodies.
Lisa Loock
Ninja of Numbers
Everything makes “Cents” to Lisa.
As a registered member of SAICA and bringing 15 years of experience to the team, Lisa ensures creativity is kept to a minimum in the finance department. Her passion is staying ahead of new industries and moulding our needs to the regulations being introduced regularily. She prides herself on keeping the executive team well informed, accountable and within budget.
Devon Ferreira
The Prince of Processing
If ‘hands on’ were a paintbrush, he would be Da Vinci.
Devon started with Kushmed with very little exposure to the Hemp Industry and has since dedicated his waking hours to achieving expert status in the processing arena. He has grown into our most trusted leader in processing. Devon is responsible for the safe receipt and storage of raw product post harvest. Drying and then primary processing is his next task before dispatch for customer orders. His technical knowledge and attention to detail ensure that our delivery to customer is always met with satisfaction.
He believes that - “Success happens when you realise the obstacles you face are challenges to help you become better - and your response equals that challenge”