Membership Categories, Benefits and Rates
Membership Categories
Institutional Members
Any bonafide institution or society with an interest in zoology or any other object of the Society is eligible for Institutional membership.
Ordinary Members
Any person over the age of 18 years is eligible for Ordinary Membership.
 Retired Members/Pensioners
Any person, over the age of 60, and who is retired, is eligible for this class of membership. Such a member will enjoy all the rights and privileges of an Ordinary member.
Student Members
Any person under the age of 18 years and/or a bonafide student at any school, university or other educational institution in southern Africa approved by the Council, is eligible for Student Membership, provided he or she had not been a post Honours or equivalent student for more than four years, or is not in full time employment. A student Member must provide proof that he or she is a full- time student.
Overseas Members
Any person over the age of 18 years who, permanently or for a period of 9 months or more consecutively, resides outside southern Africa is eligible for Overseas Membership.
Honorary Members
An honorary Member is any person who is a prominent zoologist or has, in the opinion of the Council, in a great measure helped the Society or furthered its aims and objects.
Extended membership
Any person over the age of 18 years is eligible for extended membership upon payment of a sum prescribed by Council.
Life Membership
An Ordinary Member who retires and has been a member for 25 consecutive years may be nominated a Life Member at the discretion of the Council.
Family Membership
Any two persons eligible for ordinary or student membership and married to each other are eligible for Family Membership. Only one copy of the Journal and Newsletter will be received. At Conferences both family members will pay the full registration fee for members.
Associate Membership
Associate, rather than full membership of the Society is available to a person whose expertise falls within the ambit of an affiliated specialist Group, recognised by Council, but outside that of the general activities of the Society. Associate members will pay a lesser subscription fee determined by Council, but are not entitled to receive the Journal free of charge. At conferences associate members will pay the full registration fee of an ordinary member.
Membership Rates
Membership rates are currently renewed every second year. Paid up members therefore remain active members for two years from the date of membership registration/renewal to the same date two years later after which they will be reminded to renew their membership.
Currently the following rates apply:
| Membership type | NEW MEMBERSHIP FEES |
| African Members: Ordinary membership | R440.00 |
| African Members: Student and Pensioner membership | R260.00 |
| African Members: Family | R460.00 |
| African members: Extended membership (10-year membership, once off payment) | R2,700.00 |
| Non-African member: Ordinary membership | R1,100.00 |
| Non-African members: Student and pensioner membership | R550.00 |
| Non-African members: Family membership | R1,200.00 |
| Non-African members: institutional membership | R1,320.00 |
| Non-African members: Extended membership (10-year membership, once off payment) | R5,000.00 |
Benefits of ZSSA membership:
Access to Society Publications:
- Current African Zoology (AZ) on-line and/or in print
- Digital access to archives of AZ from 1992-present
- Current Aardvark on-line
- Discount of page charges associated with publishing in AZ
Bi-annual meetings of ZSSA:
- Discount on registration
Showcase of current research in southern Arica
- Opportunities for networking and professional development
Student benefits:
- Reduced membership rates*
- Eligible for student awards
- Eligible for annual student travel award to international conference
- Recognition of outstanding student research through Graduate Research Awards for both oral and poster presentations at ZSSA meetings
- *ALSO AVAILABLE TO PENSIONERS
African zoologists benefit:
- Reduced rates for members from African countries
Members’ Services pages
- Free posting of job announcements
- Free sharing of bursaries and potential funding
Communication with other members and the Society:
- ZSSA Facebook and LinkedIn accounts for instant communication and announcements
- Regular updates about upcoming events and Society business