Verified
The South African Nursery Association (SANA) is a non-profit organisation formed in 1947 to act as a network and representative body for the green industry. SANA represents plant nurseries, garden centres, landscapers and growers, and describes itself as a proactive force for positive growth through representation and networking.
- Registered name
- South African Nursery Association (SANA)
- Type
- Non-profit industry association (nurseries and green industry)
- Fields funded
- Horticulture and landscaping, from second year
- Website
- sana.co.za
- ayanda@sana.co.za
What SANA does
SANA provides a national communication link between nursery businesses and promotes professional practices through its code of conduct. SANA liaises with government departments on industry and environmental matters, encourages good labour practices, and runs regional forums for retail and wholesale nurseries and suppliers. SANA is affiliated to AgriSA, Food and Trees for Africa, and the South African Green Industries Council.
SANA also markets gardening to consumers through its Life is a Garden initiative, hosts the industry’s largest trade fairs in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, and runs an annual Garden Centre Competition to reward professional standards.
More than horticulture
SANA points out that the green industry is more than the study of horticulture, with many jobs related to growing things: propagating plants in production nurseries, managing garden centres, designing and installing landscapes, maintaining parks and advising customers. The ornamental horticulture sector faces the same skills pipeline problem as agriculture, according to a provider record checked in August 2026.
The SANA bursary
SANA’s bursary supports students studying horticulture or landscaping at an accredited South African institution who have successfully completed all modules of their first academic year, with at least a 60% average according to the provider record. The bursary pays tuition for the current academic year directly to the institution, does not cover outstanding fees, and includes free SANA student membership with access to industry publications and trade fairs.
SANA does not accept incomplete applications and interviews shortlisted applicants soon after the closing date. The 2026 round closed on 31 March 2026, so expect the 2027 call early in 2027.
How to research SANA
When BursariesAfrica checked on 15 September 2026, SANA’s homepage also displayed unrelated online casino text, which can happen when a website is compromised. Use the bursary administrator’s email address listed here and contact SANA directly rather than clicking unfamiliar links on the site.
Visit a SANA trade fair or a member garden centre to learn about careers, and mention any gardening or nursery experience in your application.
See the SALI bursary and the Starke Ayres bursary.
