Properly licensed
A Section 21 licensed store. Documented, traceable, and run the way it is supposed to be run - which is not something every shop in this space can say.
Section 21 licensed
Richards Bay's cannabis dispensary, weed shop and smoke lounge.
A properly licensed Section 21 store, a range we can actually stand behind, and somewhere comfortable to sit while you enjoy it — all inside Lakeside Mall. Walk in through the front door like any other shop.
Now also open in Manguzi. See all our stores
Shop 31, Lakeside Mall
6 Mark Strasse, Arboretum
Open 7 days
Mon–Sat 9–7, Sun 9–4
18+ with photo ID
Members only, sign up at the counter
Who we are
A dispensary that behaves like a proper shop.
The Blue Cheese exists because getting hold of good cannabis in Richards Bay used to mean a phone call, a car park and a lot of guesswork. We wanted the opposite of that: a shop with a door, a counter, staff who know the stock, and paperwork that stands up to scrutiny.
Call it a dispensary, a cannabis shop or just the weed shop in Lakeside Mall — people find us under all three. What matters is that the Blue Cheese dispensary is a real storefront in Richards Bay, open seven days, where you deal with a person face to face.
We operate as a Section 21 licensed store, which means every collection is documented and every product is traceable. Membership takes a few minutes at the counter and it is a once-off. Bring your ID.
Nothing is sold on this website.
No cannabis products are sold, ordered or reserved through this website. All cannabis transactions take place in person at our stores, subject to membership and verification.
This site is here to tell you who we are, what we stock and how to find us. The rest happens face to face.
Why people come back
Four things we take seriously.
A curated range
We would rather carry a shorter list we actually stand behind than a long one we cannot speak to. Every jar has notes and someone who can explain them.
A lounge, not a doorway
Somewhere to sit down. Members can stay, take their time, and treat it as a place to be rather than a place to leave quickly.
Easy to actually find
Inside Lakeside Mall with mall parking and mall security. Walk in through the front door like any other shop.
The lounge
Somewhere to sit, not somewhere to rush.
The lounge is the part people tell their friends about. It is a private members' space inside the shop — comfortable seating, music at a level where you can actually hold a conversation, and staff close by if you want a second opinion on what you picked.
It is also, frankly, a safer place to be than a car park. You are inside a mall, with mall parking and mall security, and nobody is watching the clock for you.
House rules, kept short
- 18+ only. Photo ID checked every visit.
- Members only — sign up at the counter.
- Zero tolerance for other illicit substances and alcohol on the premises.
- Talk to staff before bringing anything in with you.
- Look after the space and the people in it.
- Do not drive after using. Arrange a lift.
Find us
Inside Lakeside Mall, Arboretum.
Shop 31, Lakeside Mall, 6 Mark Strasse, Arboretum, Richards Bay, 3900. Park in the mall parking and come in through the mall — we are Shop 31.
Opening hours below
| Monday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 – 19:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00 – 16:00 |
Our stores
The Blue Cheese, across KwaZulu-Natal.
Same standards, same ID and membership rules, at every store.
The Blue Cheese Richards Bay
Shop 31, Lakeside Mall, 6 Mark Strasse, Arboretum, Richards Bay, 3900
See hours
Mon–Sat 09:00–19:00 · Sun 09:00–16:00
The Blue Cheese Manguzi
Msweli Building, Store 13 (upstairs), Hospital Road, Manguzi, 3973
See hours
Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00 · Sun 09:00–16:00
Before you come
The questions we get asked most.
If yours is not here, ask us at the counter — or on WhatsApp.
Is weed legal in South Africa?
Private adult use is no longer a criminal offence. The Constitutional Court decriminalised private use and cultivation by adults in 2018, and the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act has since put that into legislation. What stays tightly restricted is ordinary commercial sale to the public. That is exactly why we operate as a Section 21 licensed store with membership and documented collection rather than as an over-the-counter shop, and why nothing is sold through this website. None of this is legal advice - if your situation is complicated, speak to an attorney.
Do you need ID to buy weed in South Africa?
At our shops, yes - every visit, without exception. You must be 18 or older with valid photo identification, and we check it every time rather than only on your first visit. Membership sign-up also needs your ID. If you arrive without it we will turn you away, including from the lounge.
What does Section 21 licensed mean?
Section 21 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act allows access to products that are not yet generally registered in South Africa, under authorisation and with proper record keeping. Operating as a Section 21 licensed store means your collection is documented, the product is traceable, and everything happens through a controlled channel rather than an informal one.
Can I order online for delivery or collection?
No. We do not sell, price or reserve any cannabis product through this website. Everything happens in person at the shop, so that we can verify your age and membership and talk you through what you are collecting.
How old do I have to be?
18 or older, with valid photo identification. We check every time, and we will turn people away without it. No exceptions, including for the lounge.
