BotSoc membership drops by 87% since SANBI takeover

John Maytham speaks to Jonathan Schrire, a dedicated member of the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc), about the recent changes within the organisation.

Schrire says '13 000 people have left BotSoc' since the NGO has been taken over by the South African National Botanical Institute (SANBI) who has implemented increased membership fees.

This new change has been 'a disaster,' adds Schrire.

"BotSoc had 15 000 members in their NGO, the biggest in the country, promoting conservation, now it has 2000 members... members have dropped by 87%... membership fees which was R6.2 million last year are now R300 000, that's a drop of 95%."

- Jonathan Schrire, Member - BotSoc

"In South Africa, we have bigger problems than an NGO promoting plants but it is a small mini tragedy for those who were members of BotSoc supporting the wonderful work it did."

- Jonathan Schrire, Member - BotSoc

BotSoc programmes, which are aimed at helping at risk kids and flora and fauna conservation, are also at risk.

BotSoc is using money from their reserves which is 'not sustainable' to keep things going, says Schrire.

Schirre says the organisation's anger lies with 'SANBI' who has made the decision to take over BotSoc 'for no reason that makes any sense.'

"The anger is with SANBI - it's a huge government organisation who has made this decision for no reason that makes any sense and has devastated BotSoc - one must ask why did SANBI do that? A government department has done this when their mandate is to promote bioconservation and they've devastated the single biggest NGO that promotes that very thing."

- Jonathan Schrire, Member - BotSoc

CapeTalk is reaching out to SANBI for a response.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.