DA calls on Creecy to halt SANBI's onslaught on Botanical Society members
11 May 2023
The South African National Botanical Society (SANBI) has taken the unprecedented decision to cancel the existing free access arrangement for Botanical Society (BotSoc) members to South Africa’s national botanical gardens.
This mutually beneficial agreement has helped to grow BotSoc’s membership over many years and this in turn has helped to nurture and build working relationships between local communities and the National Botanical Gardens managed by SANBI. Gardens such as Kirstenbosch have flourished under this working relationship.
BotSoc has been undertaking extensive work to enhance and improve South Africa’s botanical gardens for over a hundred years and a large part of this work is due to its loyal paying members. Without the added benefit of “free” entry, BotSoc’s membership will almost certainly be adversely affected and is likely to be severely depleted in the coming years.
The CEO of SANBI was unable to answer all the questions on the matter posed by the DA during a recent portfolio committee meeting but has since provided a written response as to the purported reasons behind the dumbfounding decision.