The mandate of the National Botanical Institute was expanded by the act to include the full diversity of the South African ecosystems.

The NBI had its head office at Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, and gardens and research centres throughout South Africa.

Content is developed by the horticultural and scientific staff of SANBI to provide easy access to popular information.

SANBI conducts nationwide biodiversity conservation assessments of various classes of animals, which generally involve field trips for the collection of data.

[3] Since 2014 Ronell Renett Klopper is the coordinator for the South African National Plant Checklist in the Fundamental Biodiversity Sciences Division of SANBI.